The mahout couple Bomman and Bellie,who were introduced in Kartiki Gonsalve's Oscar-winning documentary The Elephant Whisperers have issued a legal notice to filmmaker Kartiki Gonsalves. The couple is apparently seeking a ‘goodwill gesture’ of Rs 2 crore from Gonsalves.

According to the couple's statement, the filmmaker received a lot of financial benefits from the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Oscar winning documentary. The legal notice further stated that the couple was promised a house, vehicle, and financial support as compensation for their work. After not getting any of the above stated, Bomman and Bellie decided to take a legal step. The social activist-lawyer Pravin Raj, who claims to know the couple, said, “Both Bomman and Bellie are disappointed with Kartiki, who had promised them monetary help as well as help with the education of Bellie’s granddaughter while making the film. But she now refuses to give even a fraction of the enormous profits made by the film."

In response, Sikhya Entertainment Pvt Ltd, owned by Guneet Monga, the documentary's presenter, issued a statement that reads, “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 communities. Chief minister of Tamil Nadu M K 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 Elephant Whisperers was the winner at the 95th Academy Awards making it a maiden victory for India in the Documentary Short Subject category. The short film depicts an unbreakable bond between two abandoned elephants and their caretakers. It is produced by Guneet Monga and Achin Jain of Sikhya Entertainment. 

Source: PTI and others