BENGALURU, 15 MAY

Summer showers have brought down temperatures in Bengaluru, but the shortage of water persists in parts of the Garden City of India. The water supply from Cauvery River has been dwindling over the years. On Tuesday, a short film titled “H2Woah: The Bengaluru Break-up Story” released on YouTube portrayed the relationship between Cauvery and Bengaluru amid the water crisis.

The 16-minute short film, directed by Johnny Ambrose, starts with the peak water crisis that happened in March 2024. The anecdote at the start is about a youth stuck at a washroom in a mall due to the lack of water. A hilarious beginning to the film, but a startling truth.

Having a crew of 25 onscreen and offscreen, the film then gives accounts of people from various walks of life about Bengaluru and Water/Cauvery. The main protagonists of the film, Bengaluru and Cauvery, come after that.

Actors donning the roles of Bengaluru, Cauvery and Weather share their stories about the water crisis and their relationship with each other. The film, shot using Sony A753 camera, ends on with the message saying Cauvery would break up with Bengaluru by July 2030 and it is time to act to prevent the disaster.

The film, “driven by a team of Bengaluru natives, was sparked by the severe water crises many of us experienced first-hand in March 2024.

Witnessing our community’s struggle, we were inspired to shift from water conservation to urgent adaptation strategies through the powerful medium of film. “H2Whoa” aims to plant a seed of awareness and action among Bangaloreans, emphasising that the time for change is now,’’ said Ambrose, who have a couple of short films, brand and music videos to his credit. Sushant Sadamate, executive producer of the film, said they have collaborated with diverse local talents, including actors who are passionate advocates for the City’s sustainability. “The actors in the film are native Bengalureans who have seen the City in its past glory and witnessed this acute drinking water shortage for the first time in decades and people from outside the City who have made Bengaluru their home. Most of them have faced the camera for the first time,’’ Ambrose said.

“Our team of over 25 volunteers has worked tirelessly, offering their services pro bono,’’ Sadamate said. The only cost to make the film was involved in hiring the equipment and renting the studio in the City for shooting the visuals.  That expenditure was funded by people who wanted to make a noise about the water crisis in the City, said Surya Kumar, who is the producer of the film. —Salar News