#PicksAndPiquesInternationalDocumentaryFilmReview #FilmCriticJohnsonThomas #TheSecretLifeOfFrogs Rating: * * * *

#PicksAndPiquesInternationalDocumentaryFilmReview #FilmCriticJohnsonThomas #TheSecretLifeOfFrogs #AjayBedi #VijayBedi #Kshitij #IDPA #FilmsDivision #AnimalPlanet #DiscoveryChannel Rating: * * * *

Romancing The Frog Film: The Secret Life Of Frogs Directors: Ajay & Vijay Bedi Rating: * * * * Runtime: 60 mins

The Secret Life of Frogs, Directed by Indian born and bred Bedi brothers, fraternal twins, Ajay & Vijay, coming from an illustrious genealogy of world renowned wildlife conservationists(sons of acclaimed wildlife photographer Naresh Bedi and the grandsons of photographer Ramesh Bedi), was premiered as part of a new anthology of wildlife documentary films ‘Animal Planet Presents’, which showcases award-winning films ‘Tigerland’, ‘A Wolf’s Journey’, legacy hit series like ‘Dodo Heroes’ ‘Epic Yellowstone’ and ‘Ivory Wars.’ The Secret Life of Frogs was also the inaugural film for Kshitij, a new documentary Film club initiative from IDPA & Films Division and screened at the fantastic new auditorium at the Museum of Indian Cinema in Mumbai.

This fascinating 60 minute long film encapsulates a three year long, patient, struggle to ferret out exclusive and unbeknownst footage chronicling unfamiliar facts about the rarest species among these tiny amphibians, creatures as old as dinosaurs yet still a mystery to science. It’s an important quest considering that more than 80% of the 400 species of amphibians found in India are already on the endangered list -Some of whom have not been seen for as long as 170 years. As per the recent (2018) New York Times report, around 200 frog species have disappeared from the world since the 1970s, and hundreds more are projected to go in the next century.

It’s also important in the Indian context, because 60% of amphibians are reportedly endemic to our sub-continent. In India, the once familiar croaks of frogs have largely gone silent because of rampant urbanisation, Hydel projects and disastrous effects of climate change. Across the world a dreaded disease called the Chytrid fungus is wiping out frog species in large numbers. Amidst this alarming scenario, it’s really heartening to see this filmmaker family setting out to document the behavioural facts hitherto unknown to science, including life cycles and mythical analogies that lend these tiny amphibians life-saving import at the time of drought and acute water scarcity.

The filmmakers traverse from Uttar Pradesh in north India, all the way to Idukki in the deepest South, through arid, dry parched landscapes highlighting ancient rural beliefs regarding the frog and it’s resonance with the rain gods - to most diverse, verdantly green rain forests, home to the rarest of rare purple frog that emerges from the underground to breed for just one day in a year. This film captures the species in their unique habitat and glory.

Thanks to scientific help from leading researchers such as SD Biju from Delhi University, Gururaja from Gubbi Labs and their support team studying these unique creatures, we get to see intimate footage of a rare variety of frogs- one that uses dance moves to seduce its mate, another that does a headstand and yet another called the ‘potter frog’ who encases his eggs in clay to protect them from predators.