The Elephant Whisperers: Did Bomman, Bellie send legal notice asking for Rs 2 cr from director? Read this

Bomman and Bellie, the tribal couple featured in the Academy Award-winning documentary 'The Elephant Whisperers,' have accused filmmaker Kartiki Gonsalves and Sikhya Entertainment of financial exploitation and harassment. Read details

Bomman and Bellie, a tribal couple best known for their work in the Oscar-winning documentary 'The Elephant Whisperers,' have lately made significant claims against filmmaker Kartiki Gonsalves and Sikhya Entertainment. In an interview broadcast on August 4 on a YouTube channel, the couple accused the filmmakers of financial abuse and harassment.

Kartiki, according to the couple, formed a good bond with them while filming the documentary. However, their relationship with the filmmaker shifted dramatically once the film won an Oscar. They said that Gonsalves had grown aloof and out of touch with them.

The couple drew attention to the expenditures they suffered while filming a wedding scene in which they were requested to participate. Bomman and Bellie said they had to utilise money intended for Bellie's granddaughter's school to pay for the wedding scene. "Kartiki stated that she wished to shoot the wedding scene in a single day. However, she did not have the funds and requested us to make the necessary arrangements. It cost us around Rs 1 lakh. Despite Kartiki's assurances that she would refund the money, she has yet to do so. When we phone her, she claims she is busy and will reply shortly. "But she never does," the pair said.

Furthermore, the couple voiced their dissatisfaction with how they were reportedly handled following the film's popularity. Although their tribal identification was influential in the documentary's recognition, they could not touch or handle the Oscar trophy during their award ceremony. "Our faces [tribal identity] earned her the award, but she never let us touch or hold the Oscar statuette during the ceremony." "We lost our peace after watching this documentary," the pair explained.

"When we arrived in Coimbatore from Mumbai, we didn't have enough money to travel back to our home in the Nilgiris." When we requested for money for the trip, she replied she didn't have any but would have some soon," the pair said. They also related an event in which Gonsalves claimed to have paid their salary, but when they checked their bank account, they discovered only Rs 60. Gonsalves ignored their worries, claiming that they had already spent the money.

Bomman, Bellie send a legal notice asking for Rs 2 cr
Bomman and Bellie have filed a court notice requesting a 'goodwill gesture' of Rs 2 crore from filmmaker Kartiki Gonsalves. According to the legal notice, which a news agency obtained a copy of, the couple was promised a proper house and an all-terrain multi-purpose vehicle, as well as sufficient financial support in the form of a one-time lump sum payment (without specifying the amount) as compensation for their time, based on the income generated by the project. 

The legal notice further said that, on the one hand, the pair was introduced as "true heroes" to the elite, celebrities, athletes, and political figures, resulting in widespread attention for them. The filmmaker, on the other hand, received all financial advantages from the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and the Prime Minister of India, according to the notification.

When PTI contacted Bomman, he claimed he had been told not to discuss the subject further and requested us to get his attorneys for additional details.

When the couple approached Chennai-based social activist Pravin Raj, a lawyer by profession, who has known the couple for almost a decade, he got them in touch with a law company in Chennai. "Both Bomman and Bellie are disappointed with Gonsalves, who promised them monetary assistance as well as assistance with Bellie's granddaughter's education while making the film." But she now refuses to provide even a share of the film's massive revenues," Raj claimed.

He said that the pair had been following the documentary filmmaker, doing everything she asked, expecting they would all thrive together if the film performed well. "Instead, Gonsalves is not even picking up the phone when Bomman calls," Raj continued.

The lawsuit is being handled by Advocate Mohammed Mansoor, who stated that he received a reply notice from Sikhya Entertainment Pvt Ltd on behalf of Gonsalves four days ago. "In that, she has flatly refused any further assistance, claiming that she has already given the couple money." "I will send her a reply in a couple of days after consulting with my clients," Mansoor added.

Here's what filmmakers has to say:
In response to the charges, the filmmakers issued a statement emphasising that the primary purpose of making 'The Elephant Whisperers' was to raise awareness about elephant conservation and to thank the Forest Department and the mahouts, Bomman and Bellie. However, their response was quiet on the couple's particular complaints, omitting to address the compensation and contract concerns.'The Elephant Whisperers' received an Oscar for Best Documentary Short this year. The video portrayed Bomman and Bellie's devotion to caring for orphaned newborn elephants in Theppakadu Elephant Camp in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris. Following the film's international acclaim, the state and union governments bestowed monetary awards on both the filmmakers and the couple. The Tamil Nadu government declared a home and a prize of Rs 1 lakh apiece for Bomman and Bellie, while Kartiki earned a huge sum of Rs 1 crore from the state government.