Created as her graduation project at the University of Design, Innovation & Technology (UDIT), Kaalindi: An Urban Legend by Communication Design alumna Saloni Dhingra continues to gain international recognition for its powerful blend of animation, folklore and environmental storytelling.

Featured by The New Indian Express on World Environment Day, the film reimagines the Yamuna River as a woman waiting to be remembered—using emotion, mythology and visual storytelling to encourage audiences to reconnect with one of Delhi’s most significant natural and cultural lifelines. Rather than presenting environmental issues through facts alone, Kaalindi invites viewers to engage with them through empathy, memory and human emotion, demonstrating how design can inspire meaningful conversations around climate and conservation.

The film has emerged as a compelling example of how creative practice can address urgent global challenges while remaining deeply rooted in local histories and cultural narratives. Its recognition across international festivals and climate platforms reflects the growing importance of design-led storytelling in shaping conversations around sustainability and environmental awareness.

Among its most notable achievements, Kaalindi: An Urban Legend was featured on the UNFCCC Youth Climate Report Interactive GIS Map (2026) and received the Best Fiction Award at the Earth Stories Film Festival, England (2026) . The film has also been officially selected at prestigious festivals across India, Italy and the United States, including the River to River Florence Indian Film Festival, Eco Media Festival, Houston Underwater Film Festival, Duemila30, The Bhopal Film Festival, and the International Folklore Film Festival , alongside several other international screenings. It has additionally received a Special Mention and Cash Prize at the 6th Nadi Utsav Documentary Film Festival (IGNCA), an Honourable Mention at the World Culture Festival Karachi and Films That Move (Jamaica), and was recognised as a finalist and quarter-finalist at leading international film festivals.

Saloni’s journey exemplifies UDIT’s belief in the power of creative education to address real-world challenges through thoughtful, research-driven design. Kaalindi stands as a testament to how stories born in the classroom can resonate far beyond it—connecting local narratives with global audiences and inspiring greater awareness of the relationship between people, culture and the environment.

Read the full feature in The New Indian Express:

Saloni Dhingra’s ‘Kaalindi – An Urban Legend’ tells the story of a Yamuna in waiting