Every citizen with a conscience has come forward to help in one way or another to assist victims of the devastating bushfires and the brave firefighters. While some are volunteering to help combat the fires, others are donating in cash or kind yet others are cooking and serving hundreds of meals.
Three young Indian-Australian kids from Sydney came up with a very different idea to create awareness about the bushfires and the ecological catastrophe that Australia is facing. Adi Raj aged 20, his brother Aryan Gureja aged 17 and their little family friend Neel Bharadwaj who is merely 10 years old, decided to make a short video film to create awareness about the disastrous effects of the bushfires on individuals, animals, properties and the environment.
The product of their passion, dedication and keen sense to protect the environment is a short five minute film titled: Ayan You Are Special.” Adi Raj has written the script and done the filming and direction. His brother Aryan has done the editing and sound effects while little Neel Bharadwaj is the actor who braved the smoke and scalding heat. “As students, we made our cash donations, but being students we have financial limitations. There’s an overflow of volunteers helping the cause. I thought to myself, what can I do to help the cause while I’m sitting at home. That’s how the idea of making a short film came to my mind.”
Adi wanted to shoot the disaster in the worst-hit holiday town of Mallacoota but there was no way they could reach the place as the roads were shut off for weeks. After doing some research he decided to do the filming in the Blue Mountains area. He did an all-day shoot with little Neel in scalding temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius in the Bell, Clarence and Lithgow areas. “I wanted to picturize the genuine discomfort and choking feeling of the heat and the prickling of the eyes in the smoke and haze.”
A second location for the shoot was in Foster which is a three and a half hours driving distance away from Sydney. Apart from the basic challenges of filming outdoors, was the overwhelming heat and smoke. “But above all my main concern was the well-being and safety of Neel the actor, who was very patient and brave. I carried loads of water, food and sugar in case he gets dehydrated or weak. The challenges of filming in that weather, heat and smoke. Also a 10 year old does not have the stamina and understanding of an adult but Neel was just marvellous.” Says Adi Raj.
NSW Rural Fire Service crews fight the Gospers Mountain Fire. Source: AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts
The burnt out remains of a house is seen from a bushfire in the Southern Highlands town of Wingello, 160km south west of Sydney Source: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas
Source: Supplied
Source: Supplied
Fire in the Blue Mountains area of Lithgow and Blackheath, New South Wales. Source: AAP Image/CPOA Brett Kennedy/Commonwealth of Australia/PA Wire
