Documentary: The Elephant Whisperers
Director: Kartiki Gonsalves
Rating: ★★★★★
The year is young and already we are seeing back-to-back success for South Indian cinema. Just weeks after Telugu-language film RRR won a Golden Globe, Tamil-language film The Elephant Whisperers has made history by becoming the first Indian documentary to win an Oscar.
The 41-minute film, released on Netflix in December, features South Indian Indigenous couple Bomman and Bellie who dedicate their lives to caring for orphaned elephant calves Raghu and Ammu.
Viewers get to embark on this beautiful connection between animals and humans through the eyes of the Kattunayakan tribal couple, who believe that their people "come from the heart of the forest”.
Set in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, located in India’s Tamil Nadu, the documentary highlights the vast and lush greenery of the forest through a range of cinematic shots in natural lighting. It offers insight into the care the locals have for the forest they live in - so much so, they walk barefoot within it, as a form of respect - highlighting an Indian tradition of environmental conservation.
The film also shines light on the playful and intelligent nature of these elephants, through the characters of Raghu and Ammu.
“They are such intelligent creatures. I wanted people to be able to understand these beautiful beings on a deeper level and recognise similar traits and intelligence," Gonsalves said.
Raghu’s journey to recovery begins as an injured three-month-old calf, orphaned after he lost his mother to electrocution from a village fence.
In a pivotal scene, the couple receives a call from the Forest Department, saying Raghu needs to be assigned to a different caregiver. The film's energy shifts from once-radiant to dispiriting. Bomman is seen shedding tears upon hearing the news, showing the emotional connection he has with Raghu.
While the film has garnered an overall score of 100 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, Gonsalves has impressed fans with her ability to break through the industry and secure an Oscar with her directorial debut - which beat contenders like Russian-British film Haulout and American documentaries How Do You Measure a Year, The Martha Mitchell Effect and Stranger at the Gate.
She is also one of the first Indian women to receive an Oscar, alongside The Elephant Whisperers' producer, Guneet Monga.
“It’s absolutely surreal … I am very thankful to the wonderful team at Netflix for believing in the power of this truly unique family story, which showcases the lovely sacred bond between man and animal,” Gonsalves said.
PHOTO: Sony Alpha Universe on Instagram
Since her directorial debut, she has told the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) that her heart lies in producing documentaries and she has no plans to make commercial entertainers.
“I'm really not thinking of getting into the space of huge commercial films … While I may not know what [the] future holds for me when it comes to massy film, for this moment, I would like to work in documentaries only,” she told IANS Live.
The Elephant Whisperers is bound to tug on the heart strings, as it shares the story of the bond between Bomman, Bellie and their four-legged 'children' Raghu and Ammu. It offers an authentic perspective on these wild animals and the importance of wildlife conservation.
Netflix subscribers can watch the film here.
Cover photo via Netflix.