Catch Modi's 'Wild' side in Discovery's 'Man vs Wild'

Catch the wild, adventurous side of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as he digs deep into the Jim Corbett National Park with world-renowned survivalist and adventurer Bear Grylls. No, this is not fantasy but Discovery channel's 'Man Vs Wild,' all set to unleash its special episode on August 12. 

On Sunday, Bear Grylls had everyone guessing as he posted a cryptic Tweet: “Biggest announcement of the year coming tomorrow morning... we get to take one of the world’s most powerful leaders into the wild...” And then came the Monday teaser, taking every social media platform by storm. 

Morphed in a jiffy, the storm went viral, triggering a million forwards on WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Filmed in Uttarakhand's Corbett Park, arguably India's oldest, the special episode has a deeper purpose, as Discovery put it: “An attempt to raise awareness about wildlife conservation and environmental change in India.”

But why Modi? In a statement, the Prime Minister himself explained, “For years, I have lived among nature, in the mountains and the forests. These years have a lasting impact on my life. So when I was asked about a special programme focussing on life beyond politics and that too in the midst of nature, I was both intrigued and inclined to take part in it.”

The show, as Modi put it, “presents a great opportunity to showcase to the world India’s rich environmental heritage and stress on the importance of environment conservation and living in harmony with nature.”

Proud to announce on #InternationalTigerDay that PM @NarendraModi & renowned adventurer @BearGrylls will feature in ‘Man Vs Wild' to create awareness about animal conservation. India premiere @DiscoveryIn on Aug 12 at 9 PM. Global premiere across 180 countries #PMModionDiscovery pic.twitter.com/9PvIq7nrvP

— Discovery Channel IN (@DiscoveryIN) July 29, 2019

To boost the film's adventure quotient, Modi and Grylls even made a raft and crossed a jungle river together. “It was a great experience spending time in the jungle once again, this time with Bear, who is blessed with indefatigable energy and quest to experience nature at its purest,” recalled Modi. 

For Grylls, the Modi show had a famous precedent: “Running Wild” in 2015, an episode that featured former US President Barack Obama. Filmed while the duo trekked Alaska, it had the world asking for more as Obama gulped down catkins tea with glacial water and consumed wild salmon. 

Where, when to watch

Bear Grylls and Modi will come alive worldwide at 9 pm on August 12. The special 'Man Vs Wild' episode will premiere simultaneously on 12 Discovery channels in India: Discovery Channel, Discovery HD World, Animal Planet, Animal Planet HD World, TLC, TLC HD World, JEET Prime, JEET Prime HD, Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo, Discovery Kids and Tamil.

The premiere on Discovery and Discovery HD World will be available in five languages including English, Bengali, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The special episode will be showcased in more than 180 countries across the world on Discovery network of channels.