Bomman and Bellie, the famous tribal couple from the Oscar-winning documentary The Elephant Whisperers, have accused the makers of financial exploitation and neglect. They have sent a legal notice to director Kartiki Gonsalves, seeking a goodwill gesture of Rs 2 crore. Read on to know more about it.
The Elephant Whisperers’ Bomman and Bellie send legal notice to director Kartiki Gonsalves
PTI has acquired a copy of the legal notice which stated that the mahout couple was promised a home, a vehicle, and a financial lump sum as compensation for their time, with the amount to be determined based on the income generated from the project. The couple was also introduced as the “real heroes” of the project to the elite, celebrities, sportspersons, and political leaders. This gave them wide publicity and helped them to gain recognition for their work. However, the couple did not receive any financial compensation for their work as the filmmaker received all the monetary benefits from the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and the Prime Minister of India.
The couple refused to comment on the case and asked to get more information from their lawyers. They had asked for help from their long-known acquaintance, Chennai-based lawyer and social activist, Pravin Raj who introduced them to a law firm in Chennai.
Apparently, the couple who were featured in the Oscar-winning documentary are disappointed with filmmaker Kartiki Gonsalves, who had promised them monetary help and assistance with Bellie’s granddaughter’s education while making the film. However, reportedly, she is now refusing to give them even a fraction of the film’s enormous profits. Pravin Raj said that Bomman and Bellie have been following up with Gonsalves doing what she asked them to do, in the hope that they would all prosper together when the film did well. However, Gonsalves has not been answering Bomman’s calls.
According to the couple’s advocate, Mohammed Mansoor, the documentary makers sent a reply to the notice four days ago, in which the director declined any monetary assistance, claiming that the couple had already received money from her.
Response from makers of The Elephant Whisperers
The director of The Elephant Whisperers Kartiki Gonsalves and production company Sikhya Entertainment released a statement in response to their allegations. They said, “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 honorable 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 a deep respect for all of the contributors of this story, and remain driven by the desire to create positive change.”
