Kerala High Court Bars Commercial Film Shoots in Wildlife Sanctuaries
· Entertainment · The Hindu, Indian Express
On August 19, the Kerala High Court ruled that commercial films and television serials cannot be shot in wildlife sanctuaries, national parks or tiger reserves. The division bench of Justices Raja V. Vijayaraghavan and K.V. Jayakumar granted two specific locations to Malayalam filmmaker Tharun Moorthy for a short period from 18 to 28 August, provided he paid fees and signed an agreement with the Forest and Wildlife department. The petitioner had asked the Divisional Forest Officer, Ranni, and the Deputy Director, Periyar West Division, Peerumedu, to consider the requests after the Travancore Devaswom Board had given permission subject to forest approval. The court noted that the areas in question fall within the Periyar Tiger Reserve, which was leased to the Devaswom Board for the Sabarimala pilgrimage, and dismissed the petition. The decision allows the director to challenge the Deputy Director’s denial, but it effectively blocks most commercial filmmaking in protected areas.
Why it matters
Filmmakers seeking to shoot in Kerala’s wildlife areas now face a stricter legal environment, while conservation authorities maintain tighter control over protected zones.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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