Amoghavarsha JS

Amoghavarsha JS is an Indian filmmaker, wildlife photographer, and conservationist. He is known for his work in wildlife and nature documentary filmmaking, including films such as Wild Karnataka and Gandhada Gudi (2022). Wild Karnataka explores the biodiversity of Karnataka and received two awards at the 67th National Film Awards. He also served as the art director for the album Divine Tides by Ricky Kej and Stewart Copeland, which received two Grammy Awards.

Early life Amoghavarsha was born in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. He earned a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and began his professional career as a software engineer at Amazon. During this period, he developed an interest in wildlife photography, frequently visiting forests near Bengaluru. After two years, he joined the technology startup Asklaila as its first employee and later transitioned to a part-time programming role to focus more on photography.

Career

Photography Amoghavarsha's interest in photography developed through frequent visits to the Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot in southern India. He conducted photography workshops at locations such as Thekkady, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, and Bannerghatta National Park,

Filmmaking

Early projects Amoghavarsha began directing environmental documentaries with Kali, a film centered on the ecological importance of the Kali River in Karnataka. The film is credited with raising public awareness about the river, contributing to the renaming of the Dandeli Anshi Tiger Reserve to the Kali Tiger Reserve in 2015.

In the same year, he collaborated with composer Ricky Kej on Shanti Samsara, a musical project that combined environmental themes with visuals. The film was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris and officially presented by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President François Hollande at the International Solar Alliance (ISA) event.

Amoghavarsha served as art director for Divine Tides, which received Grammy Awards at the 64th and 65th Annual Grammy Awards.

Gandhada Gudi His 2022 documentary Gandhada Gudi (2022 film), featuring actor Puneeth Rajkumar, explored Karnataka's ecological landscapes. The film was conceived as a tribute to the 1973 film of the same name, which starred Rajkumar's father, Dr. Rajkumar. Released theatrically in October 2022, the documentary was screened both domestically and internationally. Following its 100-day theatrical run, a park in Bengaluru was renamed Gandhada Gudi Park in honor of the film and its environmental message.

Homecoming – The Adventure of a Green Sea Turtle In 2023, Amoghavarsha's production company, Mudskipper Labs, collaborated with the Museum of Solutions (MuSo) in Mumbai to produce Homecoming – The Adventure of a Green Sea Turtle. The underwater short film addressed the impact of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems and featured narration by actors Jackie Shroff and Dia Mirza. The film became a permanent installation at MuSo and was screened at the Mumbai International Film Festival in 2024. It was named runner-up for the Wildlife Conservation Documentary Award of the Year by TOFTigers.

Conservation work Amoghavarsha has actively participated in environmental education and conservation efforts. He has conducted expeditions and field workshops throughout the Western Ghats and collaborated with the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station (ARRS) on telemetry studies of the King cobra and other ecological research.

He has also partnered with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on public awareness initiatives, including the Science Express – Biodiversity Special, a traveling exhibition promoting biodiversity conservation in India. Furthermore, he has contributed to the development of environmental interpretation centers in partnership with the Centre for Environment Education (CEE).

Filmography

Awards and recognitions