‘The Wild Call’ Wins Best Animated Film Award at the 16th Dadasaheb Phalke Film Festival (2026)
Produced by Adler Entertainment and directed by Naved S. Farid and Azharuddin Suleiman, The Wild Call is a 12-minute animated wildlife adventure film presented in a 180-degree format by the Rajgir Zoo Safari.
In a significant achievement, The Wild Call has won the “Best Animated Film” award at the 2026 Dadasaheb Phalke Film Festival—one of India’s most prestigious independent film festivals, held in honor of Dadasaheb Phalke, the “Father of Indian Cinema.”
The film’s animation work was spearheaded by Venki Chandrasekar of Lights On Media, which also handled the post-production duties. Collaborating with this team, the film was crafted with artistic finesse, featuring a musical score by Ghibran Vaibodha.
The film follows the journey of lion and tiger cubs as they traverse India’s biodiversity hotspots: the Indian Ocean, the Western Ghats, the Himalayas, and the Thar Desert.
Furthermore, in addition to introducing audiences to 23 notable species—including the Indian Elephant and the Great Hornbill—the film conveys crucial messages regarding conservation, climate action, habitat preservation, and human-wildlife coexistence.
The project was brought to life under the creative guidance of Gopal Singh, IFS (RCCF, Patna), and Ram Sundar, IFS (Director, Rajgir Zoo Safari).
