Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
As we observe an alarming global decline in native bee populations, filmmaker Rajani Mani takes us on a journey of discovery to find the causes of this ecological crisis. This feature-length documentary explores the habitats of migratory wild honeybees (Apis dorsata or rock bees), from Mani’s Bangalore neighbourhood to the forests and fields of India. We discover the different attitudes people have towards bees – from seeing them as troublesome pests to essential helpers for farmers who rely on them for unmanaged pollination. Shot over two years in different locations in India, this is the first film to capture rock bees up close. Though it reveals the shocking consequences of pollution, intensive agriculture, and pesticides on the rock bees, the film ends on a hopeful note, emphasising the conservation efforts that can help revive dwindling insect populations and preserve biodiversity.
Documentary: Colonies in Conflict
Directed by: Rajani Mani
Production: Elephant Corridor Films (2022)
Made possible from a Grant by : Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies
Producer Bipin Nair
Co-Producer Axel Brockmann
Contributing Producer Pregith Padmanabhan & Tanu Alexander
Director of Photography Debashish Nandi
#Documentary #Freedocumentary #Bees #Pollinators #Biodiversity #WildlifeDocumentary #NatureDocumentary #EnvironmentalCrisis #IndiaWildlife #Conservation #SaveTheBees #Ecology
As we observe an alarming global decline in native bee populations, filmmaker Rajani Mani takes us on a journey of discovery to find the causes of this ecological crisis. This feature-length documentary explores the habitats of migratory wild honeybees (Apis dorsata or rock bees), from Mani’s Bangalore neighbourhood to the forests and fields of India. We discover the different attitudes people have towards bees – from seeing them as troublesome pests to essential helpers for farmers who rely on them for unmanaged pollination. Shot over two years in different locations in India, this is the first film to capture rock bees up close. Though it reveals the shocking consequences of pollution, intensive agriculture, and pesticides on the rock bees, the film ends on a hopeful note, emphasising the conservation efforts that can help revive dwindling insect populations and preserve biodiversity.
Documentary: Colonies in Conflict
Directed by: Rajani Mani
Production: Elephant Corridor Films (2022)
Made possible from a Grant by : Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies
Producer Bipin Nair
Co-Producer Axel Brockmann
Contributing Producer Pregith Padmanabhan & Tanu Alexander
Director of Photography Debashish Nandi
#Documentary #Freedocumentary #Bees #Pollinators #Biodiversity #WildlifeDocumentary #NatureDocumentary #EnvironmentalCrisis #IndiaWildlife #Conservation #SaveTheBees #Ecology
