Debut filmmaker Neel Soni’s Babli by Night earns BAFTA nod

Delhi-based 23-year-old filmmaker and wildlife conservationist Neel Soni’s debut documentary Babli by Night has been longlisted for the 2025 BAFTA Student Awards in the Documentary category.

During a recent conversation, he spoke about the film, which has already screened at the Rome International Film Festival and will have its North American premiere at the New York Indian Film Festival next month.

'By day, Babban is a forest guard. By night, Babli emerges. I wanted to capture that story'

One evening in the Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand, Neel Soni, then a teenage wildlife photographer, spotted a forest guard in uniform, holding a rifle and standing in a rigid posture. Hours later, on his return from the safari, the same individual appeared again.

But this time, in a salwar kameez, dancing - the forest guard he met before, Babban, was now Babli. He became Babli by the night.That memory stayed with Neel, which, years later, would become the idea for Babli by the Night, a 24-minute documentary that has now found its way onto the BAFTA longlist. And this debut filmmaker says that he wasn’t even sure he wanted to be one. The title - Babli by the Night is a nod to that very first moment.

“By day, Babban is a forest guard. By night, Babli emerges. I wanted to capture that.”“I didn’t go into it thinking this would be a film,” says Neel Soni, now 23. “I met Babban when I was 13. Back then, I didn’t know what filmmaking was. I just knew that this person had a story,” he says.

'Every choice was made keeping Babban’s safety, comfort, and dignity at the center'

Neel Soni, who graduated from Pratt Institute last year, began shooting the film long before it became a student project. He says,“I met Babban over many trips during my travels as a wildlife photographer through the forests of Uttarakhand.

We built a friendship. Slowly, I began to understand just how layered and remarkable this person was - a Muslim transgender forest guard from Ramnagar.“Every choice was made keeping Baban’s safety, comfort, and dignity at the center.

That was non-negotiable.”During their conversations, it became clear to Neel that this story needed to be shared. And Babban wanted this story to be shared. Set in Uttarakhand, Babli by the Night chronicles the remarkable story of Babban, a Muslim transgender forest guard who confronts societal and familial indifference by finding solace in nature - all while grappling with an unexpected HIV diagnosis.Neel says the film sheds light on the sanctuary that nature offers to those marginalised by society, aiming to spark conversations around identity, resilience, and empowerment.Were there any moments where artistic vision clashed with ethical responsibility, as Babban entrusted him - a debut filmmaker - with his life’s story?“Of course,” Neel says. “There were moments I could’ve leaned into something more sensational - things that might have made the documentary juicier.

But I didn’t. Because this wasn’t about drama. It was about trust.”Neel adds that permissions were taken, and the forest department was very supportive. “The story is personal. It’s not about their job. And I hope it’s seen that way,” he says.

'I don’t want to be labelled a documentary filmmaker or a commercial filmmaker'

While Neel isn’t interested in being boxed in, he says, “I don’t want to be labelled a documentary filmmaker or a commercial filmmaker. I want to tell honest and meaningful stories."Talking about making his first documentary, Neel says, “No film is easy. Especially your first. You give everything to something you’re not even sure will see the light of day. It’s terrifying. But it’s also the most rewarding experience.”

The film is executive produced by Leena Yadav, acclaimed for Parched and House of Secrets, and Swati Thiyagarajan, producer of the Oscar-winning My Octopus Teacher. Neel says, “They guided me with their extreme generosity.”