By: MIR AZAD KALAM, SAPTAMITA PAL
This paper examines the contradictions between popular cinematic narratives and ecological realities in India, focusing on recent films such as Pushpa. The film’s protagonist– a wood smuggler turned community saviour – is depicted with empathy and heroism, despite his involvement in the illegal trade of Lal Chandan (Red Sandalwood). While such portrayals resonate with audiences and achieve commercial success, they risk romanticising deforestation and normalising environmental exploitation. Drawing on ethnographic observation in the Matha Hill range of Purulia, the study documents rapid, infrastructure-driven deforestation in the name of development. Cement constructions, including staircases cutting through forested hills, have displaced wildlife and disregarded local ecological knowledge. Selective enforcement of environmental laws continues to penalise marginalised communities while enabling elites. The study concludes that cinema must play a more responsible role in shaping environmental values, and calls for stronger policy enforcement, increased public awareness, and equitable governance to address India’s escalating deforestation crisis.
