Cinema VinesSashi Sivramkrishna’s newest docufiction, The Incidents at Pawgur, 1830, weaves together his varied passions—Mysuru history, the travels of Scottish physician‑botanist‑surveyor Francis Buchanan, prehistoric sites, and UFO lore—into a single, immersive narrative. The film was recently screened at the Bangalore International Centre, where the Bengaluru‑based economist and documentary maker explained his choice of a documentary‑style format to lend credibility to an otherwise fictional tale.
In the story, a contemporary UFO sighting in the drought‑prone, starkly beautiful landscape of Pavagada—about 160 km north of Bengaluru in Tumkur district—acts as a portal back to the 19th‑century. Two researchers and a local explorer retrace the route of British surveyor John Warren, who may have experienced a similar encounter. The film follows their journey through the region’s menhirs and prehistoric sites, many of which were unknown even to local residents.
“When we watch feature films, at the back of our minds, we know that it is fiction. But when you tell a story, like this, in a documentary style, you are more likely to convince people,” Sivramkrishna said. He added that the format allowed him to blend fact and fiction seamlessly: “It is a work of fiction, but has got some history in it.” He deliberately omitted village names to respect private land ownership.
The inspiration for the 19th‑century character came from Sivramkrishna’s extensive research into Francis Buchanan’s journey, a topic he has also explored in a graphic novel titled A Journey into the Furnace of History: The Dying Embers of Ancient Iron‑Smelting in India. He noted that the rocky, quiet terrain of Pavagada, unlike the Western Ghats or Himalayas, provides an ideal backdrop for UFO narratives.
The idea for the film germinated in June‑July 2025. Sivramkrishna worked closely with explorer Shiva, who had previously visited the forts and prehistoric sites featured in the movie. After planning, recce and securing permissions, the director wrote a fully scripted screenplay with professional actors portraying the various experts in the documentary.
