Animal Planet unveils India Epic Wild Stories documentary anthology

MUMBAI: India’s wild side is about to steal the spotlight, one story at a time. Warner Bros. Discovery has announced India: Epic Wild Stories, a new documentary anthology on Animal Planet that will showcase the country’s rich biodiversity through films made by some of India’s most acclaimed wildlife storytellers.

Launching in July, the anthology will feature monthly premieres, taking viewers across forests, mountains, coastlines and grasslands while exploring not just India’s wildlife but also the people working to protect it.

The series marks a renewed push by Animal Planet to strengthen premium factual entertainment in India through locally produced, research-driven documentaries that focus on conservation and real-life stories from the field rather than spectacle alone.

The anthology opens with Shared Spaces, a six-part documentary series hosted by award-winning environmental journalist Bahar Dutt and filmed by Emmy-nominated wildlife filmmaker and four-time National Award-winning cinematographer, photographer and conservationist Vijay Bedi.

Travelling through India’s diverse ecosystems, the series examines the changing relationship between humans and wildlife, highlighting stories of conflict, coexistence and adaptation as communities and endangered species navigate increasingly shared habitats.

The anthology will also feature four standalone documentaries by leading Indian wildlife filmmakers.

Wild Kashmir, directed by internationally recognised filmmaker and television host Malaika Vaz, explores the biodiversity of Dachigam National Park in Jammu and Kashmir. My Otter Diary, by award-winning filmmaker Sugandhi Gadadhar, follows the lives of smooth-coated otters along the Cauvery River and their fragile coexistence with nearby communities. Meanwhile, Turtle Walker, directed by Taira Malaney, chronicles the life and conservation work of renowned sea turtle expert Satish Bhaskar.

With the anthology, Warner Bros. Discovery is placing Indian storytellers at the centre of its wildlife programming, reflecting a broader industry trend of commissioning locally rooted factual content with global appeal.

Rather than relying on imported natural history programming, India: Epic Wild Stories aims to tell conservation stories through an Indian lens, blending cinematic filmmaking with scientific research and local perspectives. As streaming platforms and television networks increasingly invest in factual entertainment, the anthology signals that India’s wildlife is no longer just a backdrop, it is becoming a compelling protagonist in its own right.