Dolcy D’Cruz
Is Eric Ollerenshaw OBE taking a dip in the ‘Chalo India with Eric Ji’ follows Eric Ollerenshaw OBE, a history teacher, former Member of Parliament, and award winning film producer, as he journeys across India uncovering stories that continually reshape his understanding of the country. A London School of Economics graduate and former theatre director, Eric returned to the arts after a long public service career. His Indo British feature film ‘A Teacher’s Gift’ which was also screened at the International Film Festival of India, earned a Flame Award at the 2025 UK Asian Film Festival, and now he brings that narrative curiosity to a travel series designed to reveal India’s complexity. Inspired by the Chalo India campaign, the show aims to encourage the diaspora to explore India more deeply. Its pilot episode sets the tone for the 12-part series, illustrating India’s past and present through its landscapes, traditions, and people. Centered in Varanasi, one of the world’s oldest continually inhabited cities, the episode immerses viewers in a place where millennia of spiritual and cultural life still pulse through narrow lanes, riverbanks, and rituals. The highlight of the episode is Eric’s visit to the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj. Filming here demanded spontaneity, especially amid dense crowds and high security. Director Rajdeep Choudhury recalls, “It was really a big challenge. It was swamped. On that day, the only person I could see from another country was him. When we went to Kumbh, and he was almost determined, and he took a dip, and I cannot explain what it felt, but it felt amazing. Nothing was planned.” Eric reflects that India’s diversity is its greatest teacher. “Every part of India is different. You think you know one bit, then something new surprises you. It will always be in terms of the food. But then that outlook on the world, what I see, that there is this traditional India, which we’ve all got a view on, we all think we know something about. And then when you come here, you’re learning so many other things. In the midst of it, you’ve got this massive youthful population, which is powering the world now,” says Eric. Rajdeep’s vision pushes the series toward authenticity and cultural depth. What began as a proof-of-concept has expanded into a multi regional adventure that will further extend to places like Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Shantiniketan, and Goa. As Eric regularly visits Goa and Rajdeep living in Bambolim since 2010, Goa had to be on the list for one of the 12 episodes. “I’ll meet historians and we can tell you a few things that we have discovered here. It’s not just going to be what the tourists come for. It will be beyond that. It’s not just the local beaches, we have found some, probably even local Goans will struggle,” informs Rajdeep. Future episodes will introduce UK-based co-presenters to create contrasting perspectives and lively debate. Visiting IFFI for the second time after the project was cleared at NFDC’s Film Bazaar last year, Eric says, “It’s been a huge experience. What you get at this festival, is creatives talking to each other, about always their next project. And there is so much progressive stuff to look forward to. The positive energy about the place is catchy.
