Healing Forest Campaigns

Kindness Lab – 2026

Kindness Lab is a unique idea that teaches you smartphone filmmaking, while gently helping you cultivate kindness in yourself and others. Discover how the power of visual storytelling can inspire kindness for self, family, community, and the planet.

Transforming Self, Family, Community, Planet

WHY KINDNESS?
Our world is becoming more intelligent, but less kind. New technology has brought new challenges to scroll through. Screen addiction and mental health issues are on the rise. Within families and friendships, we have more ways to connect but perhaps less of real connection.

In communities, anger, intolerance, and toxicity (online and offline) are increasing. Our education systems continue to focus on marks and academic scores, but real success in life comes from cultivating character.

Learn Filmmaking. Explore Kindness.

From mastering the basics of storytelling and camera techniques to understanding the nuances of direction, editing and sound design, the lab provides a step-by-step journey to crafting short films that resonate deeply with audiences.

Visual storytelling is a simple yet powerful force of transformation. By learning to create short videos with a meaningful theme, we will be able to inspire and influence many minds.

If you would like to learn a new skill and bring a little more kindness to your world, join us in this beautiful experiment. Feel free to involve friends and family members into this project. (Suitable for ages 15 to 105.)

How Does It Work?

In the Kindness lab, we will train you to create interesting videos and visual stories on kindness using your smartphone. Through simple yet fun activities you will get to create a kindness map for your life. Each session will have a new theme to slowly expand your knowledge base as well as experience of kindness.

4 online training sessions via Google Meet (2 hrs each)
Session 1: Kindness for self + Basics of smartphone filmmaking.
Session 2: Kindness and family + Impactful storytelling and editing.
Session 3: Kinder communities + Direction, cinematography, music and sound.
Session 4: Spreading kindness + Fine tuning, publicising, promoting your work.

2 week mentoring group on WhatsApp
Participants of the Lab will be part of a close-knit WhatsApp group. This group will learn with each other and inspire each other. Together we will create visual stories that touch many hearts. This new skill of filmmaking for change shall remain with you as a gift.

How To Join – Dates / Fee

The medium of instruction will be in English.
The January 2026 lab is full. To apply in advance for the next one, please fill the form below.

Online learning sessions via Zoom:
24th and 25th Jan 2026 | 2.00pm-4.00pm IST
31st Jan and 1st Feb 2026 | 2.00pm-4.00pm IST

Online WhatsApp group:
20th Jan – 8th Feb 2026

  • Each participant will make multiple short films over the course of the workshop. A selection of the kindness films will be presented to a larger audience at the end of the lab.
Join The Kindness LaB Waitlist

The Kindness lab aims to grow a forest of kindness all around us. The science of kindness offers a large number of benefits that will last through your life. Give it a try and see how it transforms your world.

Healing Forest Films

Nourishing Now

As global warming advances and the world tips towards more challenging times there is an urgent need to connect young people with nature so that we can shift the trajectory of our planet’s future.

The nourishing now campaign is a set of films that offers hope and direction in a creative way. It imagines people, communities, and entire cities that have become devoid of any colour. In a grey world, how does one bring colour back into our life? The answer is simple and Nature shows us the way. Each film covers a unique course of action in which nature can bring health, wealth and happiness into our life.

Even in the darkest times, there is always a path back to colour and joy.

Ladakh

**Film credits are in the video description on Youtube | Film duration: 3 min.

Short Film Berang: This film tells a fascinating story from the ice desert region of Ladakh in the Himalaya. Ladakh, known for its stark beauty and towering Himalayan peaks, is not untouched by the hands of climate change. Once a land of icy winters and clear, crisp air, it now faces unpredictable weather patterns and rapidly melting glaciers. These glaciers, the lifeline of the region, are shrinking at an alarming rate, threatening water supplies for both people and crops. Locals, who have relied on glacial melt for centuries to irrigate their fields, are witnessing a change they can neither predict nor control. Studies show that glaciers in Ladakh are retreating by 15-30 meters annually, putting communities and their way of life at risk.

But Ladakh also holds hope for the future. With abundant sunlight and strong winds, the region is ideal for renewable energy solutions. Solar power is already lighting up remote villages, reducing the reliance on firewood and fossil fuels, and offering a path forward. If we invest more in harnessing these natural, clean energy sources, we can not only slow down the effects of climate change but also offer Ladakhis a sustainable future—one that remains in harmony with their environment. Check out the work of Himalayan Institute of Alternatives to know more.

Renewables as an opportunity: In 2022, India ranked as the third-largest producer of renewable energy in the world, with nearly 40% of its installed energy capacity coming from non-fossil fuel sources. The potential for growth is immense. Solar power alone has the ability to transform India’s energy landscape. With over 300 sunny days a year, vast stretches of desert, and unused land, India could generate enough solar energy not just to meet its own needs, but to export it as well.

Pune

*Film credits are in the video description on Youtube | Film duration: 2 min.

Short Film Rang: This film has been shot in Pune, one of India’s many rapidly changing cities. Pune was once a no-fan station, where even in hot Indian summers you could do without having a fan. Blessed with a unique geographical location under the foothills of western ghats – the rivers and green cover of Pune kept it cool and provided it with one of the best weather in our country. A rapidly growing population and the large scale of construction has resulted in the loss of city’s forests, as well as pollution of its seven rivers. Pune now faces heat waves, flooding in monsoon, as well as water scarcity in many areas.

A small collective of people are however trying to protect and restore the city’s nature. One such group is the Anandvan Foundation that is aiming to transform Pune into a city of urban forests. With active involvement from Pune’s youth as well corporates and the forest department, they are making significant shifts in nourshing the spirit of Pune and its nature.

Rewilding as an opportunity: About 55.76 million hectares i.e. 16.96% of Total Geographical Area (TGA) of India is categorised as wastelands. These areas are currently under-utilized and deteriorating due to a lack of appropriate resource management or on account of natural causes. It offers a big opportunity in engaging our youth and solving the complex puzzle humanity faces for its future.

Nourishing Now vs Frightening Future

The climate crisis is often framed in alarming terms—rising sea levels, scorching heatwaves, and vanishing forests. While the urgency is undeniable, this focus on catastrophe is stirring anxiety, especially among young people. In fact, a 2021 global survey found that 59% of youth feel “very” or “extremely worried” about climate change, with 45% saying their feelings about it affect their daily lives . A sense of dread can be overwhelming, making many feel disconnected from nature rather than inspired to protect it.

Instead, we need to nurture a different narrative—one that highlights the simple joy and healing power of nature. Encouraging young people to experience the outdoors, to plant trees, to learn about local ecosystems, can nourish a sense of hope. When we connect with nature in the present, we begin to see solutions rather than just problems. By nourishing the now, we can inspire action without fear, shifting the course of our future towards something better.

Nourishing Now Concept

The Nourishing Now initiative is the brainchild of ‘ComMutiny – The Youth Collective’. ComMutiny has been working with young people since 2008. Their goal is to build vibrant ecosystems and empowering spaces that nurture the leadership potential of young people towards transforming self and society.

Our role at Filmkaar was to bring this concept to life in a creative way and produce engaging films that can connect with a large number of people. Please leave a comment to let us know your thoughts and ideas.

Healing Forest Workshop

Smartfilms – Master The Basics of Filmmaking

We live in an age of smartphones, but only a few people know how to harness the potential of their camera effectively. Films and visuals give us a unique opportunity for sharing our ideas with a larger audience, creating awareness as well as action.

Let’s learn how to use the visual medium to create beautiful stories that leave an impact. Simple ways to make compelling videos with your phone so that you can bring the ideas in your head to life.

“Make your work stand out.“

The future of communication is visual. Knowing how to create impactful videos creates exponential success. Not knowing how to do it, keeps us struggling with low reach, poor engagement and insignificant impact from our created content.

How Is It Useful

Videos speak louder than words. Videos convey emotions and messages instantly and effectively. They turn abstract concepts into visual experiences, making complex information easier to digest. You can even create visual stories without the need for words – thereby making it accessible to the whole world.

Our attention spans are getting shorter. So, what can we do? Enter video content! Videos can capture and hold attention more effectively than text. They’re dynamic, engaging, and can convey a wealth of information in a brief period. A 2-minute how-to video is easier to understand than a manual.

Videos are incredibly shareable. A well-crafted video can spread like wildfire across social media, bringing massive visibility to your message, product, or cause. Plus the current algorithms of most social media platforms prioritise and push video content over text or image. ~Videos get 12x more reach than text and images combined. (link)

Unlock The Power Of Your Phone

From mastering the basics of storytelling and camera techniques to understanding the nuances of direction, editing and sound design, this book provides a step-by-step journey to crafting films that resonate deeply with audiences.

Packed with practical tips, real-world examples, and insights, these lessons will empower you to transform your ideas into powerful visual stories in a very short time.

The smartfilms ebook is specially designed for people who have interesting ideas but need a powerful medium to reach out to a wide array of people.

“Never expected that so much would be covered in so short a time.” ~ Anil Saldanha

“So well designed. Easy to understand yet super important things which we never knew. Hoping to use them into my own creations!” ~ Cheshta Agarwal

“If I actually win a national award, I will dedicate it to you. :)” ~ Kedar Sohoni

In each of the sections you will not only learn the important concepts but also create short meaningful films. Our unique method of teaching will get you creating from the start. We will help you progress through 3 levels of training – basic, intermediate, and advanced. Along the way you will also pick up useful tips and tricks from the field.

For Dreamers & Doers

The lessons cover all the major aspects of visual storytelling which includes: story-telling, cinematography, direction, editing, production, AI tools. You will also learn the art of marketing and promoting your videos as well as tips for fundraising.

IMPORTANT: With the free Kindle app by Amazon you can read any ebook on your phone or computer (and you also get access to 100’s of free ebooks!). Check it out here>>

Master The Basics In 2 Weeks

E-Book

The ebook can be downloaded on any smartphone, tablet, laptop or computer from Amazon.com. Click the correct price button below.

INR 400/- only
US$ 6.99/- ONLY

Go on a creative adventure and create something wonderful.

Requirements

Note: The book is filled with rich media, and links to short films. You will need an internet connection to see the films.

1. Commitment and creativity.
2. A cell phone that records video.
3. A laptop or computer (optional, but recommended)

No prior experience in filmmaking is necessary, but being comfortable around technology would definitely be an advantage.

About The Trainer

Nitin Das is the founder of Filmkaar – a production house set up to tell stories of uncommon people and extraordinary initiatives. His youtube channel has over 2 million subscribers. He has done a filmmaking course from New York (2005) and is also an alumnus of IIML (2000). Nitin is an Asia Society Fellow, a selective group of young leaders chosen from across Asia each year for their work.

The Next Step

If you need more clarification please email us at support(at)filmkaar(dot)com. Feel free to share this page with someone who might benefit from it. Our world needs more storytellers.

Healing Forest Important

River Songs of Pune

Every river needs its songs. Because songs can keep the river alive. Songs plant the river in people’s minds. Helping them understand the river. Songs flow into people’s hearts. Making them care.

When a river dies,
a city’s soul dies.

Pune’s rivers are in a sad state. Their source streams are being killed. Their land is being stolen. Their water is being poisoned. Their flow is being choked. Their fish and forests are vanishing. As the city grows rapidly, somehow we have lost our connection with our life source.

So how do we raise awareness about the urgency to protect what’s being lost? How can create the right action to revive what’s critical? Can we use the power of music to bring people of Pune together and fall in love with their rivers again?

60 Second Songs

A group of like minded people are joining their skills to create short, simple songs and music videos for the rivers of Pune.

If you are a composer, musician, singer, poet, school or college band who would like to be a part of the idea, you can connect with our small collective. As a creative, you are free to create your own song or look for friends to collaborate within our group.

To start off with, our aim is to come up with 7 music videos of 60 seconds each. We will shortlist the most relevant contributions and use our filmmaking skills to turn some of them into visually interesting stories.

Also a filmmaking workshop will be conducted for the collective as well as their friends, so they can also use the river songs for creating new music videos.

*This is a volunteer initiative by concerned citizens of Pune. There is no monetary transaction. All material will created with the ‘Creative Commons’ philosophy: Any person is free to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, so long as attribution is given to the creator. Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted. However, selected non-profits working for Pune’s rivers may use the songs in their fundraising efforts.

Sing With Us

Calling all nature minded musicians, singers, music composers, poets, school or college bands to lend in their skills. In case you are excited by the possibilities of this project please fill in the Google form and apply to be a part of the collective.

Songs can be in Hindi, Marathi, English or a mix. They can be longer than 60 sec. but for our project we will choose the most relevant segment of the song.

Application form

Timelines:
Mar 2024 – Forming the collective and working on different songs
Apr 2024 – Reaching out to colleges and schools to involve the youth
May – Jun 2024 – Filmmaking workshop followed by creating 60 second music videos
July 2024 – Phased release of the songs on various social media platforms

*Please give us a few days post your form submission to get back. Someone from our team will reach out to you soon. Also, do read up on the useful notes given below. They will give you creative ideas for the musical adventure.

**To simply follow the river songs project and catch the music when it flows, join us on Social media: Pune River Revival | Filmkaar

A Note On Pune’s Rivers


Did you know that Pune district is home to 7 different river systems? The rivers are – Mula, Mutha, Ramnadi, Pawana, Indrayani, Bhama and Bhima. Meandering their way through this beautifully verdant and fertile land, these water bodies support a multitude of different living beings. Starting from the majestic western ghats and ending in the vast Indian ocean, these waters have been journeying in time for countless cycles.

Our precious rivers create life wherever they flow, but their future is in deep trouble now.

3 Big Threats

  • Unplanned Growth: Rapid increase in population and industry without proper planning has taken a huge toll on our rivers. According to a 2023 report, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has named the Mula and Mutha rivers among the most polluted rivers in the country. (read more)
  • Misguided Decision-making: Instead of spending on water treatment plants which clean up sewage and industrial affluents that pollute the rivers, our civic bodies are spending thousands of crores in creating concrete banks for a beautfication project. (read more)
  • Climate Change: As the CO2 emissions rise and Earth turns warmer with each passing year, we are going to see erratic weather patterns. These changes pose a high risk to and from our rivers – both as floods and as severe drought. (read more)

Every relationship is based on a single golden rule: give and take. If we only take from our city’s natural environment without giving back, it is going to break the relationship very soon.

Our rivers face many challenges, but the greatest one is that we have given up listening to them. In our busy lives we stopped paying attention to what they are trying to tell us. We have forgotten how to hear their stories and songs.

Every river is a song
Every song is a river

What Every River Needs

If we wish to keep our rivers alive we need to treat them as living entities that have rights just like humans. Creating legal rights for the rivers will go a long way in ensuring their protection and continuous flow. So what are the rights that every river needs? Here are the 3 most important ones:

Right to its land
Wherever the river flows, it should be allowed to keep its land. No construction or buildings should come up in areas where the river’s water has passed through in the last 5 years. Rivers and their floodplains help soak up excessive rains, thereby reducing flooding intensity, sometimes even preventing it.

Right to clean, continuous flow
When allowed to flow unfettered and pure, rivers provide bare essentials of clean drinking water for everyone. Rivers help maintain a balance with groundwater recharge, enabling cultivation of food as well as water availability during water scarcity and drought.

Right to health
A river is healthy when all beings that rely on the river are healthy. A river devoid of life is a dead river. Therefore, we have to ensure that rivers are living ecosystems that support various elements of nature, not just humans. The health of our rivers is linked to the health of our society. When a river dies, the soul of a city dies with it.

To stay updated on this project you can follow us on social media or join our newsletter. Please do help us spread the word and reach out to people who can add value to this work.

Please help us spread the word.
Our songs will be your songs too.

Healing Forest Films

HAMPI – City of Stones

Who are we? Where do we come from? The rocks know.
Hampi – the city of stone hides many stories. Some of them are not from Earth. Travel with this 2 minute film to the UNESCO world heritage site of Hampi. A geological marvel of nature on our planet.

This short film is an artistic interpretation of the living rocks of Hampi. It fuses the wonders of Hampi with digital art to reveal the stories hidden inside the rocks.

Remnants of a once thriving civilisation in the South Indian state of Karnataka, there are more than 1,600 monuments from the Vijayanagara Empire. It was one of the last southern Hindu kingdoms which ruled from the 14th to the 16th century. By 1500 CE, Hampi-Vijayanagara was the world’s second-largest medieval-era city after Beijing, and probably India’s richest at that time.

On a more philosophical note, the story that is hidden in the monuments and stones of Hampi whisper about the chisel of time and its intricate workings. Those of have the patience to be still and the curiosity to listen will discover the secret that binds all things on Earth – our origin and our final destination.

Hampi is an exceptional place. Every person who visits it, finds something unique. As an artist I have used digital art to depict the stories that the rocks of Hampi told me. This is not a documentary, it is a cinematic short film. No rocks were harmed or moved in the making of this video.

Healing Forest Photography

AIGO – India

AIGO stands for Artificial Intelligence Generated Outings. AIGO is a new way of exploring old places. We work with AI to bring enchanting fables from magical lands to life. You will find thought provoking stories that help you uncover the soul of this beautifully complex land called India.

Imagine the impossible

AIGO is also a way to open your mind. To fill you world with wonder and curiosity, and to inspire you to travel. Come, let’s go on imaginary adventures to fantastic places. Somewhere between the real and unreal is an idea that is waiting for you.

AIGO Punjab

May the 4th be with you. Traveling in a remote Punjabi village where Star Wars has a cult following you’ll find these strange vehicles. On this significant date the jugaad inventors bring out their futuristic creations for an epic road show. Their message to the world – there is a dreamer within all of us.

AIGO Assam

Why do the elephants of Assam create art?
Is it to draw attention to their dwindling numbers? Is it to remind us that these fields were once dense forest they called home?

Why do the elephants of Assam create art?
It’s for the same reason that all artists create.
To feel alive.

AIGO Leh

Does AI know answers to questions that have mystified humans for ages? Can it reveal knowledge that was hidden in the heads of a few? On assignment to document the levitating monks of Leh, I decided to let AI unravel their secret.

AIGO What’s next?

This is an ongoing project. With time I will keep adding new stories and destinations. You can also send in your own AIGO creations or suggest new places for us to visit in the comments section of this post.

“To imagine the impossible, is to sow the seeds for making it possible some day.”

Healing Forest Films, Important

Healing Forest

Healing Forest is a journey to discover the remarkable healing powers of nature. To find new ways that bring people and forests closer to each other.  Join us in this exploration of fascinating forests and inspiring stories of healing from nature.

Our aim is simple. Helping people heal. Helping Forests heal.

Forests are known to have great healing properties. As humans, we have evolved in nature. It’s where we feel most comfortable. It has been scientifically proven that when we spend time in nature, our brain behaves differently. It affects how we feel and think, which has a direct impact on our immunity and healing powers.

Countries like South Korea and Japan have designated healing forests. Forests that one can go to find calm, balance and good health. Forests that help people recover, relax and revive.

To experience the concept first hand, visit this link to try out some Nature Walks, Games and Meditations based on the Japanese concept of Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing.

b-leaf-multi

If this idea interests you, please subscribe to this blog with your email. Here are some of the things we hope to do: Organise nature walks. Publish maps of healing forest trails. Bring out new films on the healing powers of nature. Create conscious communities. Provide natural healing tips. Tell stories of inspiring people. Discover fascinating forests that can serve as therapy forests. Do action projects that give back to nature.

Click on these links to read our latest posts and healing stories. Feel free to reach out to us with your thoughts in the comment box below. To know more about this initiative visit the about page.

pic-forest-jag

Please share this with people in your life who may need a moment of calm in their life.

india in 5 minutes
Healing Forest Films

India In 5 Minutes

Catch the spirit of India in this short film and get a glimpse of the many wonders that India has to offer. From the Himalayan ranges in the North to the oceans in the South. From the deserts in the West to the rain forests of the East. Experience the many worlds that make up India.

INDIA

Simple to explain.
Difficult to understand.

Quick to amaze.
Slow to absorb.

Impossible to predict.
Certain to enchant.

Always full of adventure.
Never short of warmth.

INDIA
Easy to love.
Hard to forget.

India

This film ‘India Unravelled’ was made possible through a documentary film fellowship by PSBT. Visit them at http://www.psbt.org

Favourites

Here’s a list of 10 of my personal favourite destinations in India (in no particular order).

Ladakh
Spiti
Arunachal
Sikkim
Jodhpur
Rann of Kutch
Mumbai
Hampi
Andaman Islands
Kerala

Write your favourite place in India in the comment box below and I’ll try to create a film on the most popular choice. Feel free to share, screen, embed this film.

kerala

Kumaon
Healing Forest Films

Stories From The Mountains

Mountains are like grandmothers. They have many stories to tell. Nestled in the Himalayan ranges of Kumaon in Uttarakhand are some wonderful people, ideas and initiatives. Given below are three simple stories from the region to give you a glimpse of the unwilted life in the mountains.
Junle fowl

Children of the mountains
In a world filled with hate, anger and aggression the children of the mountains have an interesting message to give.

A school in the mountains
Chirag is a small primary school run by an NGO of the same name. They have a very different view on what education is and how children should learn. You can volunteer or visit them at Chirag

Gifts from the mountains
Chandi Maati is a small social enterprise working with women from 4 villages in the Himalaya mountains. They make and sell wonderful gifts which help in creating a source of income for these women. You can find them here on Facebook.

Hope these films inspire you to travel to the mountains. There are some amazing stories waiting for you.
W-sunset-village

Healing Forest Photography

Varanasi – Time Loops

The flow of time is a great illusion. Sometimes it moves fast, sometimes it slows down. It can make you feel alive or it can make you feel half dead. But in Varanasi, one can see this illusion clearly. For in Varanasi, time stops.

Final-Cow

Given below are a series of time loops that try to capture the essence of life in Varanasi. They depict the illusion of being stuck in a time loop. For some people time does not move in a straight line, it flows in circles. Life may appear to move forward but if one observes closely, one can see it repeating itself in patterns. Check out the time loops below and see if the illusion is also present in your life.

ILLUSIONS

What is, isn’t
What isn’t, is
Varanasi-Bathing-MS

What was, will be
What is, won’t
Varanasi-Student

What flows, stays
What stays, fades
3-Final-Bathing-LS

What’s loved, is suffered
What’s suffered, is unloved
Varanasi-Fan

What’s gained, is lost
What’s lost, is missed
Varanasi-Wrestler

What destroys, creates
What’s created, is destroyed
Varanasi-Umbrella

What lives, dies
What dies, transforms
7-Final-Burning

What transforms, is truth
What separates, is illusion
Varanasi-Arti

What moves, is mind
What passes, is time
Varanasi-Old-man

What is, isn’t
What isn’t, is
Varanasi-Meditation

END NOTE: The wise people of Varanasi know that life is ruled by a simple principle- Everything Flows. The river flows. People come and go. Fortunes  and governments change. The sun, moon, seasons are all part of the flow. When one becomes aware of the flow, one can be free of illusions. I hope these words and time loops have helped you flow through Varanasi. Keep flowing.
Varnasi-Ganges