Oscars 2023 | Director Kartiki Gonsalves on the making of 'The Elephant Whisperers' | The Hindu

Kartiki Gonsalves’ directorial debut The Elephant Whisperers is one of three Indian films nominated for the 95th Academy Awards. Nominated for the Best Documentary Short Film, the 41-minute movie chronicles the bond that Bomman and Bellie, a South Indian couple, share with Raghu, an orphaned elephant.
In an exclusive interview, the director of the Oscar-nominated documentary short talks about her special bond with the orphaned elephant Raghu, wanting people to understand elephants on a deeper level by recognising their intelligence, and her desire to give a voice to indigenous people
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#oscar #ElephantWhisperers

[@sharad539]

It’s such a wonderful and heartfelt movie. Shot beautifully with heart warming insights into the lives of caretakers and their elephants. This deserves to win and get eyeballs, more than RRR

[@desistarktm7270]

imagine it was 3 hrs documentary.

[@omkarcheriyal9235]

Why you want to degrade RRR?? from James cameron Steven Spielberg to russo brothers everyone enjoyed it to so BTS .If you don't like keep your mouth shut...

[@sharad539]

@@omkarcheriyal9235 Who won the oscar? Lol.

[@gowthamchandrasekaran325]

@@omkarcheriyal9235 everybody has their right to share their views so if you like it you keep your mouth shut and dont expect other to do the same - that right of democracy - right to speak

[@leelakrishnanaruchamy3767]

Proud of you belongs to TN mam...and great congrats for winning the Oscar. No matter of gender, Director is a director.. Congrats once again...

[@MegaReelfilms1]

From ooty. Mom is an American. Dad is an Anglo Indian computer scientist who is the founding member of IIT in Himachal Pradesh. Not exactly a Tamizh woman.

[@gowthamchandrasekaran325]

@@MegaReelfilms1 her mother is not anglo indian

[@Suresh_Kamath]

​@@MegaReelfilms1 Gonsalves sounds more like konkani Christain name.

[@Suresh_Kamath]

​@@MegaReelfilms1 Her dad is not Anglo Indian

[@Ninetendo]

The conversation itself shows how much knowledge she have ..What a great inspiration ☺️

[@venkataradhakrishna3582]

Apart fron the voice for women, i think Ms. Gonsalves gave voice to elephants. Community adoption of these lovely animals is necessary If i am not wrong elephants come to crop lands if they are hungry. So Forest Department and the community can consider feeding these lovely elephants. I know it is easier said done. But we should find ways to feed these humble gaints.

[@Devanshi357]

What great achievement and a proud moment to all of South Indians today , Kartiki a Tamilian, MM Keeravani and Chandra Bose from AP and Telangana winning 3 Oscars . South Indians are always on top.

[@Suresh_Kamath]

Kartiki is not Tamilian. Her mother us American and her father going by his name is Christian Konkani.

[@cosmosguy]

Call Tamils, Tamilan not “Tamilian”.

[@amb9271]

My goodness.. such a great interview…The Hindu videos are at another level.. so good to see that the director Kartiki has her heart in the right place and her head steady. This is simply beautiful. Congrats to the Hindu team for bringing this. I am definitely going to watch this documentary in next 24 hours❤ 14:45

[@vinitabartlett5634]

Congratulations to Bommen & Belli. And Raghu Ofcourse...And Kritika Gonsalves...Such Profound Knowledge and Commitment....

[@afzaluddinahmed8878]

First and foremost Congratulations to Kartiki. Fantastic feat. You make ys proud. What a wonderful interview. Thank you so much for sharing "the making of the movie". All the best for your future endeavours.

[@Sushmafl]

Good bless you Kartiki.Thank you for giving us a masterpiece But can you please tell us how can common folks help us with conserving forests. The girl that did the interview good job 👏

[@thomasthomasphilp4393]

In Kerala, if a temple Elephant, cremation is given like to a human being. The whole village comes for it and they cry like as if their family member passed away

[@jayaprakashveeraswamy8887]

Excellent interview with Kartiki Gonsalves . Congrats to her for a brave decision to think of a documentary . Kartiki narrates very well .

[@revn9203]

Excellent interview. Intelligent questions and superb responses. Thank you. Congratulations to KG and team on the Oscar

[@vincentbrk]

Fantastic movie, well deserved Oscar !

[@lazarya5000]

I know the region well... The nilgiri hills. I could hear the elephants every night doing their best to go undetected while going to snack on the sugar cain of locals! I have heard many stories by locals, about these magnificent creatures! I walked in those hills amongst the peacocks. I have never seen such large elephant footprints. Memories of visits and travels to India I will never forget... culture and nature is so beautiful. I share and understand your spiritual love... May they roam free in their natural habitat and the forest left to their rightful creature inhabitants. Such a beautiful place of the world. I love elephants. Congratulations. First sightings are so mesmerising and beautiful... Ooti is beautiful too. 🙏 May your journey be long... Love from my heart to you.

[@ruhikapoor2181]

தமிழர்களுக்கு பெருமைமிகு தருணம்.....💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻❤️

[@_sayan_roy_]

You should also interview Shounak Sen (All that Breathes) and Ghosh (Writing with Fire) about their documentaries which got nominated for Oscars this year and a year before, respectively, which news media and mainstream audience are not talking about for some reason. It's a highly competitive genre to get nominated and it is a big achievement. Also, I believe they have won at film festivals like Cannes and Sundance which for many film aficianados are way bigger achievements than Oscars since the festivals actually churn out all different varieties of cinema and are stricter and are said to have lesser bias than Oscars, and in some circles, more prestigious than Oscars. Congratulations to Elephant Whisperers. It is a great docu and elephants close to being my favourite animals helped even further.

[@Vicky_Hrim]

Congratulations to grab an oscar 👏 🙌

[@baskaranmunusamy8189]

Controversy is brewing around the making of this " The Elephant Whisperers". The main characters claimed that they were not paid as promised by the producer.

[@surumic.s5423]

Such a heart melting documentary.. Loved it❤❤

[@anshuman355]

Great work by kartiki Thank you for this great work

[@systemicnsystematic]

Kudos for creating such a stirring documentary. Human animal bonding at its best,lessons for environmental concerns 🎉❤ Hearty congratulations for the Oscars to the entire team…

[@vinitabartlett5634]

Congratulations...To Bollen and Belli and Raghu

[@pavitrajaimungal1889]

Great relationship between animal and human. This story should help people to understand that we humans can live in harmony with these creatures of the earth. Madam you are a great director. Thank you for such an insightful film.

[@nikiganesh]

Congratulations 🎊 for winning Oscar's!

[@moko8870]

Smart , intelligent and loveable Kartiki. God bless her and best wishes in her future activity

[@DannyThesan]

Congratulations Kartiki! Well done🎉

[@gbala2865]

Watched on Netflix. Knew something was different about this one. Congratulations!

[@alexi2460]

Congrats on your Oscar win. Lovely interview, we need to document and celebrate conservation of the earth and the earth's wildlife.

[@aravinds6406]

Wonderful documentary.. Congrats for Oscar ❤❤

[@suhask.r9240]

Congratulations to Kartiki on winning Oscars 2023. Incredible Documentary. People like you are the new face of India, where you broke the boundaries and uplifting women to new Heights. You are making us proud.

[@tanvi5378]

Wow, beautiful! Best wishes and congratulations.

[@philipsalexander650]

Keep up ur, good work 4 men n his environmental nature heritage. Man animal n mother earth inheritance 4 ur, future foes.

[@subhashkamble1237]

Many Congratulations to Karthiki Gonsalves.

[@M3ganwillslay]

Congrats to all Tamils for winning Oscar 2023 ❤️❤️👍👍

[@lakshminarayana4082]

Beautiful documentary.

[@shantanuwadadar]

awesome! so proud of you guys..

[@gopaulangappan8407]

Congratulations to all

[@krishnansrinivasan830]

I had a nice time watching this Interview :)

[@aditiroy4693]

I may be wrong, but somehow the documentary trailer I saw of The Elephant Whisperers, reminded me of Elsa & the baby elephant in Joy Adamson's Born Free i saw decades ago in my childhood. nature bonds if you love her.

[@vinitabartlett5634]

Thank You....

[@sonalisinha5851]

💐🌻😍 Congrats MADAM. 🙏

[@pritamyadav2197]

Very proud of you

[@souravmandal5514]

Congratulations ma'am 👍

[@santhijeeva2774]

Congratulations 🎉

[@srinivasvaranasi1645]

What a sweet story!

[@vinitabartlett5634]

Thank You The Hindu...for doing this Interview...

[@brindacockburn4033]

Congrats from Trinidad and tobago!!

[@arbchowdary832]

❤ so much love to you

[@14_devikas42]

GOOD WORK MAM

[@gulshangupta1899]

She is so good

[@shambhoosharan9004]

बहुत ही सुन्दर साक्षात्कार

[@anisolo07]

Oscar Winning Docu now! Hurrah!

[@saffrondominic4585]

Congratulations on your Oscar 2023 award!

[@balajimunuswamy4159]

A case was filed by the Bomman and Belli couple who acted as the main characters in this film against the director Kirtiga for not fulfilled the promises that she gave to them during the film shooting.She not even speak to them properly on the phone during this interview also kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6W1Z5d5o7R_mpY

[@sheelatonny9908]

Congratulations

[@lazarya5000]

So beautiful... 🙏

[@pasupathikmeenakshisundara3310]

My weeping is wr are so often hearing elephants.electrocuted and northeast even 5 to 7 elephants killed at one go.with train accident. Indian politicians nobody care right from kasmir to kanyakumari except.one mp who mentiomed during.rajyasabha appreciation for os ars.

[@SWANTAH_SUKHAY_SANGEET]

It's one of the most important works of present time, that you are doing . Hats off 🙏🏾 however I have a request for you ma'am. If possible, then try to reach out to the other animals like cows, calfs and chickens , which are also exploited and makes a huge way for the climate change and deforestation. My point is ' if Elefant and human love , then chicken, duck, cow, goat, fish also needs some compassion' . Besides, the natural habitats of wildlife are destroyed for the unlimited consumerism of man , . I think man has gone to an extent of lovelessness from where only positive can not suffice. Negativity is the flip side of positivity. It's truth that should operate, and only truth gives way to complete independence. You have made a great job , so this is a request to you from my side. We can make a truly positive world , if truth or love determine our work, is not it? Good wishes for your future endeavours.

[@prashantbansode364]

Congrechuletion 💞👌

[@user-kl5rx2pv4m]

A Tight blow to Mahasivrathiri Balle dancer Guruji..

[@desistarktm7270]

how exactly?

[@dummybava5971]

​@@desistarktm7270 destroyed elephants pathway 😂😂

[@shanthiduraiswamy6085]

The name is Bomman and not Bowman

[@vijayalakshmiramkumar2161]

This lady literally cheated them..now they are with no money at all... The grand kids are struggling to pay school fees She refers as women ...she is specific about them not getting credit Thier life is gold...she located it sold it and swallowed all the money.

[@sridharkarthik64]

👏👏👏👏🙏

[@Palani-iamwhatyouarenotwhatiam]

👍

[@RadeonArch2437]

Watched the movie, awesome

[@sentimentalmindless]

Wish something more is done to save elephants and their habitat, reminds me of the elephant Moti 😢 captive elephant I’ll-treated and abused.

[@ashnasharma7706]

Anyone after the Oscars?

[@rombohnallavan1861]

Enjoying ur headlines with Indian view point. Sick of copy paste of western white man narrative in Indian English media

[@rajapalamittam2443]

I sincerely hope this lady director gets the elephant and the two people out there some financial aid by colection and by sharing her award money with them. Only then will she will feel comfortable. Otherwise it is sheer exploitation.

[@tulayamalavenapi4028]

Okay, protect animals but who will make the effort to highlight the crisis of cows as the most beautiful and treasured animal of Lord Sri Kṛṣṇa and Radha Herself. And further, please read Srimad-bhagavatam 5th Canto Chapter 8, where inordinate over affection for a deer caused Bharat Maharaja's next birth yo be an animal birth. So there is a balance of truth about animals that any intelligent person should concern themselves with. Hare Krishna . Chant - the maha-mantra and make human birth successful. When one is s believer with full love & conviction, this holy name rectifies the evil of this Iron Age of quarrel and hypocrisy.

[@sid2372]

Come on she is not Indian... She is very much American

[@leelakrishnanaruchamy3767]

She belongs to ooty and the story about the nilgiris people relationship with elephant... We have a reson to celebrate her..

[@stylishthamizhan5774]

Yeah she is not indian. She is tamilan born in Ooty.. Poda panipuri 😂😂🖕🖕🖕

[@Jishnurg5]

So what just celebrate

[@itshallpass]

She won Oscar as indian

[@gowthamchandrasekaran325]

Father side is indian only

[@virgins7864]

Nice Interview Kartiki ! Hope to meet you soon at Ooty !!!

[@vairakkann8278]

Congratulations 🎉