Uranium mining in Jharkhand needs to be urgently addressed and openly discussed: Shishir Jha
Tortoise under the Earth or Dharti Latar Re Horo is a docu-fiction made in 2022. It deals with the story of a Santhal tribal couple who have lost their daughter.
The couple, Jagarnath and Maugli Baskey live in an area of Jharkhand where uranium is found and mind.
The film deals with how the presence of the mineral has brought tremendous change in the lives of the Adivasi population, who fight to maintain their age-old ways of life even as they face dispossession due to the uranium.
The film has been screened in several events and has garnered praise from critics for its portrayal of a sensitive topic.
Down To Earth recently caught up with director Shishir Jha and quizzed him about the movie. Edited excerpts:
Q. What made you pick up this topic for this project?
A. At the time, I was reading folk stories from Jharkhand, and I found an amazing collection by P.O. Boding. He was a Norwegian folklorist and missionary priest who spent 40 years in India before independence, working closely with the Santhal community. He dedicated his life to understanding their culture, stories, songs, and way of life. The stories showed a beautiful connection between humans, animals, and nature. It felt like discovering a whole new world, so close to my hometown of Darbhanga, yet surprisingly unfamiliar.
Q. How did you research into the topic?
A. It took me a long time to realise this. I spent a year in that area and saw how the landscapes and imagery described by P.O. Boding have changed. Mining has taken over much of it, but the messages in those folk stories still feel relevant. Everyone in Jharkhand is affected by the mining in some way. In one way or another, they are being exploited on their own land.
Q. There being not much drama in the film, was that a conscious choice?
A. Yes, everything was a conscious choice. But it evolved very slowly and intuitively. My intention was to observe life as closely as possible in the uranium mining area. I am grateful that this couple, Jagarnath and Maugli Baskey, trusted me and allowed me to enter their world. The experience came from observing and listening rather than imposing my perspective. When you are aware of a certain situation, you may have answers, but sometimes you can’t do anything about it. Nothing can be more dramatic than that.
Q. What role does the landscape play in the film?
A. Everything has shaped the film organically, especially the landscape. It’s haunting to witness the vast land scarred by mining, as if it’s bleeding everywhere. The moment you step into the mining area, you can sense, almost subconsciously, that something is wrong.
Q. How did you meet the protagonist couple and convince them to feature in the film?
A. I met them two months after arriving in Jharkhand. The moment I saw Jagarnath Baskey, I felt an instant connection with him—it was very intuitive. That same night, I went to his home with Binod Hansda — We were the only two people in the crew for a year, and I asked him to join us on our journey. Initially, I was working on a much larger film, aiming for an eight-hour film with three interlinked stories. I had already shot half of one story. The current film was originally the second story in that larger film. However, due to COVID-19 and other challenges, I couldn’t complete it. But that’s the beauty of independent cinema—every day, as you write and film, the story unfolds in its own way.
Q. Why has this subject not appeared in any popular media depiction so far? Why the veil of silence?
A. I am not sure. But this issue needs to be urgently addressed and openly discussed. I’m worried about the silence of those who have a voice and are aware of the situation.