Babli by night: documentary on transgender forest guard longlisted for BAFTA

Delhi-based filmmaker Neel Soni's debut documentary, 'Babli by Night,' has been longlisted for the 2025 BAFTA Student Awards in the Documentary category. The film tells the story of Babban, a Muslim transgender forest guard in Uttarakhand. By day, Babban works as a forest guard, but by night, he transforms into Babli. Soni met Babban as a wildlife photographer and was struck by his layered personality. The documentary explores Babban's life, his challenges with societal indifference, and his solace in nature. It also touches on his unexpected HIV diagnosis. 'Babli by Night' has already screened at the Rome International Film Festival and will premiere in North America at the New York Indian Film Festival next month. Soni hopes the film will spark conversations about identity, resilience, and empowerment. The film is executive produced by Leena Yadav and Swati Thiyagarajan.