Elephant Whisperers: This documentary, up for Oscars, is a triumph of empathy

Kartiki Gonsalves’ The Elephant Whisperers, which has been shortlisted for the 95th Academy Award in the Documentary Short Film category, opens with a charming bit of narrative trickery. The setting is Tamil Nadu’s Theppakadu Elephant Camp, one of the oldest in Asia, and the man in the frame is Bomman, an inhabitant of the indigenous Kattuanayakan tribe (meaning “king of the jungle”).

The camera trails him as he goes about with his day. We see him finish his morning prayers and arrive somewhere. Standing outside, he enquires in a soothing tone if his dear one has slept well. As if he is talking to his child. The focus is now on his face as an elephant steps out. His expression does not betray any surprise. If anything, his looks soften as he nestles his head on the animal’s trunk. This image of a man and an animal — of frailty and strength— locked together in harmonious affection forms the crux of the documentary.

The human-animal bond

Unfolding entirely in India’s Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, the documentary follows two caregivers entrusted with the task of looking after abandoned wild elephants. Bomman and Bellie tend to Raghu. They bathe the animal, and feed him. They arrange for his food and boil his milk. It is not difficult to infer that Bomman and Bellie have dedicated their lives to the well-being of the animal.

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And yet, The Elephant Whisperers never becomes a sacrificial tale where two caregivers are compelled to alter their lives in the service of an animal. The reason for this is the people Gonsalves chooses to focus on. Bomman and Bellie share a genuine affection for Raghu, treating the animal like their child.

The documentary, sustained largely by voiceovers, follows their interactions with the elephant. Brimming with tenderness, watching their relationship together, it ceases to matter if we are looking at a human-animal bond. Take, for instance, that moment when Bellie feeds Raghu and after he throws out the food, she maternally scolds him saying, “I don’t like it when you do this.” Or when Bomman and Raghu are caught in the rain and he instinctively shares his umbrella with the animal.

A tale of mutual dependence

Herein lies the appeal of Gonsalves’ lovely, intimate non-fiction: it showcases the possibility of such a coexistence and, interspersed with proof of human beings’ reckless attitude towards animals conveyed through data, upholds the need for it. Much like Shaunak Sen’s terrific All That Breathes (2022) that centered on two brothers from New Delhi who save kites, The Elephant Whisperers reiterates the need to heed and nurture nature.

The terrific cinematography (Gonsalves, Krish Makhija, Karan Thapliyal and Anand Bansal) ably complements the theme. There are several snapshots of wild animals, roaming free in their habitat. The forest, after all, is their home that we are guilty of encroaching. More tellingly, Gonsalves includes aerial shots in the narrative, underlining the fact that when looked at from above, both human beings and animals appear puny. As if there is really no difference between them. It is only the vastness of the green that holds up.

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I’d still argue that Gonsalves’ merit lies in her voice, in her ability to find a unique story and then narrate it in a way where it becomes about everyone. As the documentary unfolds, its visual plurality appears to be in tandem with narrative singularity and both are held together by an inclusive tone. Under 40 minutes, the filmmaker tells a distinct story of mutual dependence, tied by love and held together by empathy.

Filling the void in each other’s life

Bomman took to this job after his father’s death. Even his grandfather did the same thing. But being stabbed by a big tusker a couple of years back had threatened his means of earning money. Taking care of Raghu, a young elephant, gave him back both his profession and identity. Bellie has her own share of loneliness. Her ex-husband was killed by a tiger, and her daughter has passed away. By her own admission, taking care of Raghu reminds her of her daughter. In a similar tryst of fate, they were assigned Raghu after the animal lost his mother.

With striking precision, Gonsalves expands her focus and, with moving eagerness, tells the story of one family, where each fills the void in the other’s life. As an eventuality that was waiting to happen, Bomman and Bellie get married during the documentary. The moment builds up without any fanfare. On the day prior to the celebration, members of their community come together and dance around a bonfire. After they exchange garlands, both of them stand with Raghu and baby Ammu, another wild elephant they are raising together, cutting the most wholesome family portrait there ever was.

The best stories are those where we can see everyone and understand them. Characters are not restricted by limited arcs. Instead, they surface as people, riding their own history and backstories. The best stories are those which possess the generosity to acknowledge all as protagonists. Kartiki Gonsalves’ charming The Elephant Whisperers encloses such a story. Through the premise of caregiving for an animal, she tells the story of a family, a community, a tribe and the need to protect what we have been bestowed with. For she understands the crucial truth: what we preserve, preserves us.