The Elephant Whisperers wins Oscar: Know where to watch Indian documentary

The Elephant Whisperers scripted history by becoming the first-ever Indian film to win in the Best Documentary Short Film category at Oscars 2023. The award was presented to director Kartiki Gonsalves and producer Guneet Monga by The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal. It defeated other nominees including The Martha Mitchell Effect, Haulout, How Do You Measure a Year?, and Stranger at the Gate. Viewers can enjoy this 40-minute-long documentary on Netflix in the Science and Nature Docs section. 

The Elephant Whisperers is available in Tamil (Original), English, Hindi, Telugu, and Turkish languages, among others. The short film was released on Netflix on December 8, 2022, globally after it premiere. The documentary is about a South Indian couple named Bomman and Bellie who look after an orphaned baby elephant. The couple has named the baby elephant Raghu. Due to the film's touching storyline and strong message, it has received international recognition and widespread acclaim. 

About The Elephant Whisperers

The Oscar-winning film by Kartiki Gonsalves is about a heartwarming story of a couple who form an unbreakable bond with Raghu, an elephant. The documentary not just shows the trio's bond as a family, but also sends out a message on how the people in tribal areas live in harmony with nature. The movie is shot in Tamil Nadu's Mudumalai National Park and shows an emotional connect between animals and humans. 

The director of the film, Kartiki said in an interview with the Hindustan Times, "While most films have focused more on humans being cured by a bond with an animal, humans being harmed by wild animals or wild animals suffering from human expansion into their territory, The Elephant Whisperers lets viewers understand both the elephant and the human carers with minimal, outside interpretation. It portrays the dignity of both the magnificent elephants and the indigenous people who have lived with them and cared for them for centuries."