The Elephant Whisperers is a 2022 Indian documentary film directed by Kartiki Gonsalves. The documentary is about the bond that develops between a couple and an orphaned baby elephant, Raghu, who was entrusted to their care. The film is produced by Mumbai based production house Sikhya Entertainment, led by Guneet Monga Kapoor and Achin Jain.
Raghu (juvenile male elephant; left) and Ammu (right), the stars of the film, at Mudumalai National Park, Tamil Nadu, India
Set in the Mudumalai National Park in the border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states of India, The Elephant Whisperers tells the story of Bomman and Bellie, an indigenous couple belonging to the Kattunayakan tribe who are entrusted with an orphaned baby Indian elephant named Raghu. They make significant effort to ensure that the fragile, injured infant survives and grows to be a healthy juvenile. A strong bond develops between the couple and the elephant. They adopt another elephant, Ammu, and eventually have to give up Raghu.[3][4][5]
Production and release
Director Kartiki Gonsalves encountered Raghu when he was three months old, and spent approximately a year and a half with him before shooting documentary. The documentary crew lived amongst the caregivers and their baby elephant, for almost five years, filming the daily life and events of Bomman and Bellie and their adopted elephants.[citation needed] The documentary focuses on the scientific aspects of elephant rescue and rehabilitation while emphasising the traditional practices of calf rearing. Wildlife Biologist Dr. Sreedhar Vijayakrishnan, who has been studying elephant behaviour in the wild and in captivity, served as the scientific advisor.[citation needed]
On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes website, the film has an approval rating of 100% based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 7.7/10.[12]
Romey Norton of Ready Steady Cut rated the film 3.5 out of 5 and said that "It packs a small punch and is definitely worth the watch, especially if you love elephants."[13] Poulomi Das, reviewing for Firstpost, wrote that the "narrative is fairly straightforward, [and] the storytelling manages to be simultaneously gentle and persuasive, [..] elevated by its stunning cinematography." Das opined that "much of the beauty of the film lies in the understated coming-of-age of the film’s narrative that draws ample parallels between humans and animals." Additionally, he interpreted the documentary as a "love-story about the power of community" and "the dignity of — all kinds of — life".[14] Manjeet Singh of Leisure Byte praised its writing for ability to form "an experience that needs to be felt, than rather just to be seen", as well as capacity for crying and "the finest presentation of the year".[15]Outlook India wrote that the film is not just a heart-touching story of a bond between animal and human and co-existence, but also a showcase of Indian culture and tradition of environment conservation.[16]
Aftermath
In an interview with The Hindu, the tribal couple Bomman and Bellie said they were exploited by the filmmakers who did not remunerate them or deliver on the promises made, and that the director, who was amiable during the shoot, became distant after the movie won fame. All of these claims have been denied by the filmmakers.[17] Bomman subsequently backtracked on his complaint in a video reported by India Today. He stated that he did not know who sent the legal notice, nor did he know the advocate or have any evidence.[18]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
