Bomman and Bellie, the tribal couple central to the Oscar-winning documentary 'The Elephant Whisperers', have raised allegations of financial exploitation and neglect against the creators of the film
Kartiki Gonsalves with Bomman and Bellie
Bomman and Bellie, the tribal couple central to the Oscar-winning documentary 'The Elephant Whisperers', have raised allegations of financial exploitation and neglect against the creators of the film. The documentary, which earned an Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film in 2023, highlighted the couple's extraordinary relationship with elephants and their conservation efforts in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu.
The couple contends that they incurred significant expenses during the film's production but were not adequately compensated by the makers of 'The Elephant Whisperers'. The couple drew attention to a wedding scene they were asked to participate in, for which they incurred substantial costs. They claimed that they had to spend funds reserved for Bellie's granddaughter's education to facilitate this scene. “Kartiki said she wanted to shoot the wedding scene in one day. However, she did not have the money for it and asked us to arrange the same. It cost us around Rs 1 lakh. Even though Kartiki had promised us that she would return the money, she has not returned it till now. Whenever we call her, she says she is busy and that she will return our calls soon. But she never does," the couple said.
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Bomman and Bellie also expressed financial hardships they faced after returning from Mumbai to Coimbatore, without sufficient funds for their journey back to their home in the Nilgiris. Additionally, they recalled an instance when Gonsalves purportedly paid them, but they found their bank account contained only Rs 60. Gonsalves dismissed their worries, suggesting they must have spent the money.
The couple also reported a drastic change in their relationship with Gonsalves following the documentary's Oscar success, with the director becoming distant and unresponsive. Further disappointment stems from their treatment after the film's success. Despite their tribal identity playing a key role in the documentary's recognition, they were allegedly not permitted to touch or hold the Oscar statuette during their felicitation. They stated, “Our faces [tribal identity] got her the award, but she never let us touch and hold the Oscar statuette during the facilitation. We lost our peace after this documentary."
The couple issued a legal notice, a copy of which the PTI obtained, Bomman and Bellie were promised vehicular transportation, accommodation and proportionate compensation in accordance with the income generated from the project. However, these promises have not been fulfilled. In response, the couple are now asking for a 'goodwill gesture' of Rs. 2 crore from the filmmakers.
Responding to these allegations, the film's production company Sikhya Entertainment and director Kartiki Gonsalves issued a statement. The statement read, "The goal in creating The Elephant Whisperers has always been to highlight elephant conservation, the tremendous efforts of the Forest Department and its mahouts Bomman and Bellie. Since its launch, the documentary has raised awareness of the cause and had a real impact on the Mahouts and Cavadis community. 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, constructing eco-friendly houses for the caretakers and developing an Elephant Camp in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve."
"The documentary has been celebrated by heads of state across India, and the Academy Award is a moment of national pride that has brought widespread recognition for the work of mahouts like Bomman and Bellie.
"All claims made are untrue. We have deep respect for all of the contributors of this story, and remain driven by the desire to create positive change," the statement concluded.
The filmmakers' response to these allegations was a statement emphasizing the intention behind 'The Elephant Whisperers' - to raise awareness about elephant conservation and to recognize the efforts of Bomman and Bellie, along with the Forest Department. However, the filmmakers' statement did not address the couple's specific claims regarding remuneration and contract disputes.
Upon its release and winning an Oscar, 'The Elephant Whisperers' was lauded for making inroads into lived histories and experiences of marginalized communities who worked closely with wildlife. The film was praised not only for its narrative and execution but also for the sensitivity with which it lent a voice to a world which usually finds little space amidst privileged echelons of society.
However, simultaneously, discourse also erupted around whether the recognition accorded to the documentary and filmmakers had had any impact on how the everyday realities of the communities whose stories they attempted to bring to the big screen. The film invited empathy - but what went on behind the scenes? Did the couple, who were otherwise introduced as 'heroes' and celebrities at elite gatherings receive the promised financial benefits? The recently surfaced allegations beg attention once again as to whether the subjects of 'awareness-raising' films with a social-orientation are financially compensated - and whether public fame or critical acclaim brings any change to their social realities.
It also highlights the skewed power dynamic between documentary filmmakers and the subjects they claim to represent - the cultural, financial and social capital, acclaim and mileage accorded to the film is almost always enjoyed by the filmmaker, rather than recognizing documentary-making as an inherently collaborative process.
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