Aishwarya Sridhar: India’s First Female Wildlife Photographer Winner Returns with Roaring Leopard Documentary!

At just 28, Aishwarya Sridhar is once again making headlines — and this time, it's not just for her award-winning photography, but for her evocative storytelling through film. Known as the first Indian woman to win the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year award in London (2020) for her mesmerizing shot of fireflies against a starlit sky in Bhandardara, Aishwarya is now winning hearts with her latest wildlife documentary: Rana.Award winning photo ‘Fireflies’ by Aishwarya Sridhar (Source: Google Images)Shot over the course of a year in the leopard-rich scrub forests of Jhalana, Rajasthan, Rana is a cinematic chronicle of a young male leopard’s journey to adulthood. The film follows Rana as he matures and ultimately challenges his own father in a fierce bid for dominance — a real-life dynasty drama that Aishwarya fondly describes as “Bollywood meets wildlife.”A Bold New Format: Nature Meets NarrativeAishwarya shared in an interview that the documentary was unlike anything she had done before. She explained that they had infused the narrative with a Bollywood-style presentation, featuring dramatic music, rich storytelling, and emotional arcs. According to her, it wasn’t just about the animal, but about his story — his fight and his spirit.The project premiered recently on ServusTV in Austria and Germany, and is slated for release in France on Arte.Rana is part of Aishwarya’s dream project to produce documentaries on three of India’s most iconic felines. The journey began with Maya, the famous tigress from Tadoba, featured in The Queen of Taru in 2021. Then came India’s Lion Queen, which followed Noor, an Asiatic lioness in Gujarat’s Gir Forest.Through her production company Bambee Studios Pvt. Ltd, founded in Mumbai, Aishwarya has committed herself to capturing and preserving India’s natural heritage on film. With each documentary, she brings the wild closer to audiences — not just as a habitat, but as a stage for riveting, real-life narratives.Coming from a middle-class background in Panvel, Maharashtra, Aishwarya’s journey has been anything but easy. She developed a deep bond with nature early on, yet, navigating the male-dominated field of wildlife filmmaking has not been without challenges.She admitted that she had faced gender and age biases, and recalled moments when she had been looked down upon. However, she also mentioned that she had met some incredible male photographers who had supported her. Ultimately, she said it was her passion for nature that helped her rise above all the challenges.Teaming up with cinematographer Kenneth Lawrence, Aishwarya continues to push boundaries — artistically and socially — ensuring that wild India gets the global spotlight it deserves.With Rana roaring into European markets and more wildlife tales waiting to be told, Aishwarya Sridhar is clearly not done inspiring. Through her lens, we don’t just see the wilderness — we experience its pulse, its struggles, and its raw, untamed beauty.