Documentary
Sony BBC Earth launches Earth Champions
Mumbai: In a momentous stride towards captivating storytelling, Sony BBC Earth has announced the launch of its marquee property ‘Earth Champions’. Earth Champions which began as an Instagram live session, will now inspire viewers as interesting three-minute capsules, whisking them away on an extraordinary voyage through nature’s kaleidoscope. The property will go live on the channel on 6 November 2023.
Narrating stories of nature enthusiasts to ordinary citizens from all walks of life, ‘Earth Champions’ intends to shed light on the tremendous power of individual actions that collectively become a force of positive change. Sony BBC Earth aims to honour and celebrate real-life heroes each month addressing issues of forest restoration, waste management, water, and air purification, etc. at a personal, household, or community level.
Packaged as an on-air property with promotions across social media, Sony BBC Earth’s Earth Champions has undergone a quirky makeover with a gripping script intertwined with befitting music. The inaugural episode of Earth Champions will feature ‘Mr. Jadav Payeng’, also known as the Forest Man of India. Hailing from Assam, Payeng has transformed the barren lands into a thriving man-made forest. He is also the proud recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri award for his selfless and tireless efforts.
Sony BBC Earth, through its landmark shows such as Blue Planet II, Climate Change: The Facts, and A Perfect Planet has united viewers from around the nation, instilling a profound connection with the natural world. The channel has been raising awareness about the imperative of sustainability and building a community of loyalists through its various initiatives.
Sony AATH business operations head and Sony Pictures Networks India Head – marketing & insights, English cluster Rohan Jain:
“With Earth Champions, we aim to embark on a mission to empower individuals and communities to showcase the profound impact of their eco-friendly actions. Through this extraordinary initiative, we invite people from across the nation to join us on an exhilarating journey toward a greener and more sustainable future. Together, we can make a difference and create a legacy for generations to come.”
Reforestation hero and Padma Shri awardee, the remarkable ‘Forest Man of India’ Jadav Payeng:
“I am deeply honored to be a part of Sony BBC Earth’s Earth Champions. It is a great initiative that inspires people and evokes a sense of eco-consciousness in them. It fills my heart with joy and gratitude to witness the power of collective action creating a lasting impact that benefits our planet.”
MUMBAI: From Ranthambore with roar. This World Tiger Day, BBC Player is sinking its claws into the untamed heart of India with Legendary Tigers of India, a gripping documentary that prowls onto screens this Independence Day, 15 August . Narrated by the late, legendary conservationist Valmik Thapar, the film is more than just stripes and stares. It’s a moving chronicle of survival, strength, and the shifting story of India’s national animal. Thapar, one of the world’s foremost tiger experts, spent a full monsoon-to-monsoon year tracking a new generation of Bengal tigers deep within Ranthambore, one of India’s most iconic tiger reserves.
With intimate access and five decades of experience behind the lens and in the wild, Thapar offers rare glimpses of tigers not just as apex predators, but as emotionally complex, intuitive creatures navigating shrinking habitats and growing human presence.
The film roars to life from Thapar’s own jungle home at the forest’s edge, blending dramatic visuals with a deeply personal narrative. From mother cub dynamics to solitary alpha males, the documentary captures the instinctual ballet of survival, mating, territoriality and raw jungle drama woven through the lens of ecological urgency and reverence.
Premiering exclusively on BBC Player in India via Tata Play Binge and Prime Video (add-on subscription required), this special release is BBC’s tribute to India’s tiger legacy. With India currently home to more than 70 per cent of the world’s wild tigers 3,682, as per the 2023 census the documentary feels both timely and timeless.
In an age of noisy content, Legendary Tigers of India invites audiences to pause, listen, and marvel. Not just at the majesty of the tiger, but at a conservation journey that began with 1,411 tigers in 2006 and roared back in triumph. This isn’t just a documentary. It’s a call to protect what still prowls.
