The trailer of the crime series, ‘Poacher’ was unveiled on Thursday at a five star property in the Santacruz area of Mumbai. It gives a glimpse into the illegal practice of the merciless and incessant killing of the elephants.
The eight-part series unravels the largest ivory poaching ring in Indian history. It has been created, written, and directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Richie Mehta of ‘Delhi Crime’ fame, and stars Nimisha Sajayan, Roshan Mathew, and Dibyendu Bhattacharya in pivotal roles.
It shows a diverse group of wildlife custodians consisting of forest crime fighters, police personnel, and good Samaritans, in their relentless pursuit to expose the largest ivory poaching ring in Indian history.
The trailer shows how Dibyendu Bhattacharya’s character of the Field Director from the Kerala Forest Department, assembles a team headed by Nimisha Sajayan’s character, to dig deep into a poaching case.
The trailer then spreads out the gravity of the case as it eventually unravels a network that deals with drugs, arms and human trafficking.
The series is based on true events, ‘Poacher’ sheds light on the consequences of human actions driven by personal gain and greed.
Talking about the series, Richie Mehta said: “Every story has a hero and when you get to meet the ones who may not wear a cape and yet are fighting against crime and injustice, you are inspired to tell their story to the world. Poacher is my tribute to wildlife crime fighters – the dedicated forest service officers, fervent members of wildlife conservation and protection organisations, animal lovers — people who are risking their lives to prevent endangering the animal species due to the personal greed of poachers.”
He further mentioned: “I am sure the series will act as an eye-opener in many ways – how interdependent and complex the relationship between humans and other species is, and how any negative action can result in an environmental imbalance, leading to dire repercussions.”
Nimisha described being a part of ‘Poacher’ as a transformative experience.
Giving a peek into her character, she said: “My character is intricately layered, having nuances of a strong-willed forest official with deep empathy and love for wildlife. She is driven to bring the poachers to trial, and goes beyond the call of duty to unearth the deep and wide network of ivory smuggling. The series will compel viewers to ponder the irreversible impact of humans’ actions on animals and the environment. It is a story that needed to be told, and I am grateful to be a part of a forthright project highlighting such an important issue.”
Executive producer Alia Bhatt shared: “Being a part of this project is such a source of pride for me and our entire team at Eternal. ‘Poacher’ is a clarion call to address the grave and heartbreaking issue of animal poaching and illegal wildlife trade. I hope that Richie’s powerful storytelling compels everyone to champion the urgent need for wildlife preservation and encourages us to embrace co-existence with all living beings.”
‘Poacher’, produced by QC Entertainment, and executive produced by Bollywood star Alia Bhatt is set to drop on Prime Video on February 23.