Have you heard? Whisperers are now roaring

Elephant Whisperers

The reputation of public figures seems to be taking a hit. As pop music icon Lizzo continues to battle questions about her stance on body-positivity after news of her reportedly fat-shaming her collaborators came to light, it appears, another artiste has now come in the line of fire. Filmmaker Kartiki Gonsalves, who brought glory to India when her documentary, The Elephant Whisperers clinched an Oscar this year, has been accused of failing to provide the promised monetary support to the protagonists of her film.

Bomman and Bellie, whose lives as carers of elephants were displayed in the documentary, have sent a legal notice to Gonsalves, and are seeking Rs 2 crore as a ‘goodwill gesture' for allowing the filmmaker to showcase their life. In the legal notice, it is stated that the couple was promised a proper house, an all-terrain multi-purpose vehicle, and sufficient financial support as a one-time lump sum payment as compensation for their time, based on the income generated from the project.

The legal notice also highlighted that on one hand, the couple was introduced as "the real heroes", but on the other hand, the filmmaker got all the financial benefits from the Tamil Nadu CM. It was also stated that Gonsalves was no longer answering their phone calls. The director was quick to rebut, calling the claims "untrue". "The goal in creating The Elephant Whisperers has always been to highlight elephant conservation, the efforts of the Forest Department and its mahouts Bomman and Bellie. Our honourable chief minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin, has made donations towards assisting the 91 mahouts and cavadis who look after the state's elephants," her statement added. It is to be noted, though, that Bomman subsequently reportedly claimed to be unaware of who sent the notice.

Back on track

Shooting for the Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Prabhas and Deepika Padukone-starrer Kalki 2898 AD has resumed in Hyderabad. A picture from the shoot was uploaded on the official Instagram page for the film. According to reports, the schedule began in Hyderabad. The cast and crew will be filming important scenes with the main actors till August 28. Along with Prabhas and Padukone, the film also features Disha Patani.

New work

After Jubilee, Wamiqa Gabbi will star in Atlee and Murad Khetani's next with Varun Dhawan. The producers confirmed her association with the Hindi production. The yet-untitled film, so far being referred to as #VD18, is slated to release on May 31, 2024. "The opportunity to work alongside Varun Dhawan and Keerthy Suresh is something I'm looking forward to. I have been waiting to do a commercial Hindi project, and this is it. I'm excited to collaborate with Murad sir and Atlee," said the actor, who was seen in Kabir Khan's directorial venture, 83.