Discovery Network brings together iconic stars to celebrate India’s wildlife with the premiere of ‘Wild Karnataka’ on World Environment Day

• Legendary natural historian Sir David Attenborough’s narration in English will be joined by noted Indian cine celebrities including Rajkummar Rao in Hindi, Prakash Raj in Tamil & Telugu and Rishab Shetty in Kannada language

• Wild Karnataka will be released on Discovery Plus App at 6:00 am on June 05. The TV premiere will follow the same day at 8:00 pm on Discovery, Discovery HD, DTamil and Animal Planet channels

Mumbai, May 26, 2019 – Discovery, India’s leading and most trusted real-life entertainment brand, in a unique initiative aimed at raising awareness about the rich biodiversity of India and the need for wild-life conservation, has pulled in celebrated actors to provide voice-overs for the premiere of documentary ‘Wild Karnataka’ on June 05, the World Environment Day. Produced by award-winning filmmakers Amoghavarsha JS and Kalyan Varma in collaboration with Karnataka Forest Department, Wild Karnataka focuses on the biodiversity that flourishes in the wild, as Karnataka now has some of the best forests in the world.

The film shot using 4K Ultra HD technology, by a team of 20 camera persons using drones and 15 stationed cameras across Karnataka over a period of 4 years, is a visual spectacle which is to be enjoyed on the big screen. The premiere of Wild Karnataka will get a never seen before reception as leading movie stars come forward to narrate it in different languages. Sir David Attenborough will take the lead in English while Indian actors such as Rajkumar Rao (in Hindi), Prakash Raj (in Telugu & Tamil), and Rishab Shetty (in Kannada) will ensure that Indians across the country join hands and celebrate nature’s gift to this beautiful country.

The documentary will be released on Discovery Plus App at 6:00 am on June 05 on Android, iOS and on the desktop / mobile web on www.discoveryplus.in. The TV premiere will happen at 8:00 pm on Discovery, Discovery HD, DTamil and Animal Planet. The documentary has received huge interest from advertisers with Policy Bazaar, Mi 10 and Unacademy coming on-board as Associate Sponsors while Wildcraft is Co-Powered by sponsor.

“The premiere of Wild Karnataka is part of our long-term vision of promoting and elevating Indian filmmakers and storytellers who are making exceptional content,” said, Sai Abishek Director–Content, Factual & Lifestyle Entertainment – South Asia, Discovery. “We continue to innovate with an aim to engage audiences with thrilling, power-packed, entertaining and yet purpose driven content. I am indebted to the celebrities who came forward and supported this film readily and brought forward their unique sense of storytelling.”

Talking about the film Wild Karnataka, co-filmmaker Amoghavarsha JS, said, “Following the theatrical release of our film, it gives immense pleasure to be associated with a platform like Discovery Channel which is known for the brilliant work they’re doing towards helping raise awareness about wildlife conservation. We could not have found a better platform for us to showcase our film in which we have tried to bring to the screen the wondrous wildlife of Karnataka.”

Noted celebrities coming together for a special cause: –

Lending his voice to the film in Hindi, the Indian Actor Rajkummar Rao, said, “As an actor you’re always looking for interesting stories to tell. However, to be able to narrate the story of our country’s wildlife was an extremely enriching experience for me. Discovery has always been my go to channel whenever I’ve wanted to explore something new. Now to be a part of the channel through a film that so beautifully portrays the natural heritage of our country, it is definitely a proud moment for me. Wild Karnataka celebrates the spectacular diversity of the Indian state, Karnataka and brings us closer to the wildlife that thrives in the state. It serves as a good reminder for all of us to truly celebrate our country’s rich natural treasures and work towards preserving them for generations to come.”

Noted actor Prakash Raj, has lent his voice for the Tamil and Telugu version of the film. He said, “I connect with the ethos of the show – celebrating the rich bio-diversity that is prevalent in India. The magnitude of this wild based magnum opus can be gauged from the fact that this hour-long documentary is sieved from four hundred hours of shot footage. To use one’s craft for raising awareness about the beauty and the diversity of our natural heritage is a beautiful thing and now it is up to us, the viewers and the citizens of India to not only celebrate this beauty but also work towards taking care of it.”

“This film, Wild Karnataka, is close to my heart as I am from Karnataka and I feel grateful to be a part of this project for Discovery India. Lending my voice to the film in a way helps bring it closer to the people of Karnataka so they can witness the beautiful wildlife that thrives in this state, with a personal touch. It is extremely important for us to save our wildlife and the government and Forest Department of Karnataka are taking great efforts despite the pressures of development and vast human populations. It is time we learn more about this and understand how we can be a part of the solution,” said actor Rishab Shetty, who has dubbed for the film in Kannada.

Karnataka is the home to some of the richest wild places on the planet and boasts of a rich biodiversity, most of which is still unknown to the public. Interestingly, one quarter of India’s plant and animal species are found here, many of which are still unknown to the people of India. The film appreciates the efforts of the people, government and the Forest Department of Karnataka, who are committed towards saving some of the greatest natural history for the future generations. Further, the movie spotlights the efforts of the government of Karnataka to save tigers and elephants as the state is a home to of these majestic animals than anywhere else in the world. The money raised by this launch is being donated to the Tiger Foundation of Karnataka forest Department. WILD KARNATAKA sends a message of hope not just across India but across the whole world.

Tune in to WILD KARNATAKA, which premieres in India on Friday, 5^th June at 8:00 PM, only on Discovery, Discovery HD, Animal Planet, DTamil and Discovery Plus App.