Filmmaker duo Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti say their production choices are guided by instinct and a desire to spotlight stories that resonate with them personally, whether it is Angry Young Men, In Transit or Turtle Walker.
Directed by Taira Malaney, Turtle Walker chronicles the life of Indian biologist Satish Bhaskar, who dedicated himself to the conservation of sea turtles. Angry Young Men traced the journey and achievements of screenwriting duo Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, while In Transit, focused on LGBTQ+ lives, has been shortlisted for the GLAAD awards scheduled for March.
“These are stories that move us and we want to put them out. We want to put out stories from India that are real and rooted - stories even people in India don't know. It's for the globe, but it's also for the country, so people can see how diverse we are and what incredible lives are being lived amongst us,” Akhtar told PTI in an interview.
Kagti said their production banner Tiger Baby has always prioritised projects they would choose to watch as audiences. “We watch fiction and non-fiction. There are many documentaries that I love and she loves. Because I like something, I see promise in it and believe someone else will enjoy it too. It's coming from there more than a very planned diversification”.
Malaney, who spent nearly eight years developing Turtle Walker, said she was struck by Bhaskar’s unwavering commitment to protecting sea turtles.
“It’s inspiring to see that one person can have such a huge impact. We can feel overwhelmed by the state of the environment in India. It feels like a problem larger than something we can solve. But when you see someone achieve so much by taking one step at a time, every day, with consistent effort, it gives you hope,” she said.
The filmmaker first encountered Bhaskar’s story eight years ago while working with a marine conservation organisation, where she introduced children to the ocean ecosystem.
“India has this huge, extensive coastline, but I noticed that our relationship is one of fear rather than one where we feel a sense of comfort and ease, and then take it to the next level of actually having a connection to it. I came across this story, written by a very famous herpetologist Romulus Whittaker, and it was written so beautifully.
“There were these really amazing legends and stories about Satish Bhaskar, the protagonist, that were passed on in the sea turtle community. I was immediately captivated.. I knew it had those ingredients for a really good story to connect youth to the ocean,” Malaney added.
Locating Bhaskar proved unexpectedly simple. Malaney discovered he lived an hour away from her home in Goa. Bhaskar passed away in 2023.
Akhtar said Tiger Baby came on board after producer Angad Dev Singh introduced them to the unfinished project. Kagti said Malaney’s treatment of the subject aligned with their aim to bring lesser-known Indian stories to wider attention.
Turtle Walker was screened at the International Wildlife Film Festival in April 2025, the Byron Bay International Film Festival in October 2025, and opened the All Living Things Environmental Film Festival (ALT EFF) in December. The film was also screened recently at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in Mumbai.