‘Hunger can be controlled, can thirst be controlled?’

What a new film on Mann in the Satara district says about living with a water crisis

In the film, The Search for Water, Gaikwad says that the situation is such that he bathes in his courtyard so that the trees get watered simultaneously.

“Since it rained two or three times last week, the water situation is good in our village. Before that, the land was so dry that even moong and bajra crops stopped growing. We have some grass for the cattle but the wells are dry. It is a problem to find drinking water as tankers come only once in 20-25 days,” Hanumanth Dattu Gaikwad, Agriculture Officer, Manndeshi, told The Indian Express.

In the film, The Search for Water, Gaikwad says that the situation is such that he bathes in his courtyard so that the trees get watered simultaneously. “No rain, no water, even to drink,” says a young man in the film. An elderly man informs the viewers, “We have had a drought situation for two years. “Hunger can be controlled, can thirst be controlled?” asks a woman.

The short film, made by Achyutanand Dwivedi and Prabhat Sinha, uses human stories to delve into the heart of the water crisis in Mann in Satara district, a part of Maharashtra where nomadic Dhangar shepherds have roamed for centuries.

It is a region where people, now, spend entire days during the summer months waiting for water tankers. “After we wake up, we are faced with this worry,” says a voiceover as the camera pans out on an arid landscape interspersed with houses and a near-hollow well. While the film touches upon the crisis from multiple angles, from migration to poverty to living with smelly water, Sinha tells The Indian Express that “people have realised that they’re not going to get water every day”.

Dwivedi is an eminent filmmaker, who has won Cannes Film Award, among others. Sinha is a former state-level sportsman and a part of the Mann Deshi Foundation that is working on empowerment, water conservation and sports activities in the rural areas of Mann region. As Sinha is a local, he has witnessed the water crisis up front, from the time he and other children would jump into wells, taking care not to hit their heads on the sides, to when the land became brittle for lack of water. “When I walk or cycle to school, I used to see wolves once a week on the way and hyenas at least once in a month. Now, I have to roam around at night for three months to see a wolf or a hyena,” he says.

“There used to be a lot of ponds filled with water when I was growing up. Because those lands have been converted for farming, the ponds are gone. Our river, the Man Ganga, was always known as a drought-prone river. When there was water, I used to swim in the river. That doesn’t happen anymore because of sand mining. The water does not stay for three-four months as before. The groundwater level has gone down. The water dries up in one month. This is another difficult part of what we have done, as humans, to the climate,” says Sinha, who studied at Fergusson College in Pune for two years before leaving for the US.

The film captures the crisis through vivid visual details, such as of a ground so dry it has broken into pieces or of hens at a puddle in the rocks. The range of people interviewed tell their personal stories with stark simplicity and helplessness. The film is a capsule of a larger global problem. The UN Environment Programme says that at least 50 per cent of the planet’s population – 4 billion people – deal with water shortfalls at least one month of the year. By 2025, 1.8 billion people are likely to face what the Food and Agriculture Organization calls “absolute water scarcity.”

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

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