In a transformative step toward using cinema as a catalyst for environmental awareness, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Innovations India, a leading Indian film production house headed by noted Bollywood filmmaker Captain Rahul Bali, have signed an exclusive Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly produce five short films on key themes of Sustainable Development.
The MOU was formally signed on 5th December 2025 at TERI, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, by Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI, and Captain Rahul Bali, Managing Director, Innovations India. Also present at the ceremony was Mr. Sanjay Seth, Senior Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Programme at TERI and CEO & VP of GRIHA Council, marking the moment as a pivotal collaboration between India’s leading sustainability institution and the Indian film industry.
A Strategic Partnership for Climate-Conscious Storytelling
Under this exclusive partnership, TERI and Innovations India will produce a five-film pentalogy that highlights critical aspects of Sustainable Development, including:
● Solar Power
● Water Conservation
● Clean Energy
● Green Mobility
● Climate Change
Each film will aim to simplify complex environmental challenges through compelling, cinematic storytelling—making the issues accessible, relatable, and engaging for audiences across the world.
Global Outreach and Festival Presence
Innovations India will spearhead the production as well as collaborate with international studios for worldwide distribution, ensuring maximum global reach. The short films will be screened at prestigious events and platforms, including:
● World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS)
● Leading Indian and international film festivals
● Special global sustainability forums and public-awareness events
The first film in the pentalogy will premiere at WSDS 2026 in New Delhi, an event that attracts global leaders, diplomats, policymakers, industry heads, and sustainability stakeholders.
Bollywood Talent Meets Environmental Advocacy
The films will feature popular Bollywood actors and will be directed by award-winning filmmakers, bringing mainstream appeal to sustainability messaging. This collaboration leverages Bollywood’s immense storytelling power to raise awareness about issues that are often overlooked despite being critically important for the planet’s future.
Captain Rahul Bali—known internationally for cinematic projects such as Love in Vietnam and Silaa—brings to the table his expertise in global filmmaking and his established reputation as a champion of cross-border cinema.
A Vision for Transformational Impact
Commenting on the partnership, Dr. Vibha Dhawan said that this initiative represents TERI’s commitment to engaging diverse audiences through new and creative mediums. The collaboration ensures that sustainability discourse transcends academic and policy circles, reaching millions through the universal language of film.
Captain Rahul Bali emphasized that cinema has the unique ability to “educate through emotion,” making it the ideal medium to highlight urgent environmental issues. “This pentalogy is not just a cinematic project; it is a mission to inspire collective action,” he added.
A Milestone for India’s Sustainable Future
This historic deal is being viewed as a groundbreaking fusion of Bollywood’s creative influence and TERI’s domain expertise, creating impactful short films that aim to shift perspectives, spark dialogue, and motivate action on sustainability at both national and global levels.