BENGALURU: Popular movie star Rajinikanth is now busy and so is the Bandipur Tiger Reserve. The actor and a team of documentary makers from the popular international series Man vs Wild are in the tiger reserve to shoot the documentary since Monday evening. The shooting is scheduled for six hours on Tuesday and again on Thursday.
The series caught Indian attention after Prime Minister Narendra Modi shot for it in the forests of northern India with British adventurer Bear Grylls.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, a senior forest department official said permission for the shooting has been given for six hours on January 28 and 30. On Tuesday, the special guest will be Rajnikanth while on the 30th, noted Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar is expected.
"Permission for the shooting has been given for Sultan Batteri highway and ranges of Mulleholle, Maddur and Kalkere ranges. They will be shooting in non-tourist zones. If permission was given for the shooting of Wild Karnataka, then this can also be permitted. Also, no tourist or regular forest patrolling activities will be affected. The shooting will be done under special forest protection and no one will be aware of the locations," the official said.
The shooting of films and documentaries inside forest areas of Karnataka is increasing and the department must exercise caution as this will only lead to more man-animal conflicts, warned conservationists.