Filmmaker Kiran Rao has discussed the practical challenges and personal journey of integrating sustainability into her life and work. Rao, co-founder of the Paani Foundation, which aids drought-stricken farmers in Maharashtra, noted that environmental consciousness has deepened through her experiences.
She stated that while personal actions like reducing water usage, composting, and avoiding single-use plastics are important, sustainability is not always convenient due to cost, access, and ingrained habits. Rao believes those with better choices should make them, acknowledging that unlearning convenience takes effort. Her environmental awareness influences her creative choices, leading her to stories rooted in people and their environments, with her next film project focusing on ecological consciousness.
Rao described the Paani Foundation’s journey as transformative, emphasizing it’s about enabling communities to take charge of their future through collective action, social unity, and resilience. She believes storytelling has the power to normalize care and empathy, mirroring how humans treat the earth and each other.
Source: Down To Earth