Bomman and Bellie, along with the elephant Raghu, gained fame through the Oscar-winning documentary “The Elephant Whisperers.” However, the couple has recently made allegations against the documentary makers. In a recent interview, they claimed that they were not paid and that the makers have been unresponsive since the Oscar win. According to the couple, they faced challenging situations during the documentary’s production and had to bear significant expenses for the shoot. They also stated that they have filed a case against the makers, who allegedly threatened them to withdraw it.
In response to these allegations, Sikhya Entertainment and Kartiki Gonsalves, the makers of “The Elephant Whisperers,” have issued a statement. They explained that their goal with the documentary has always been to shed light on elephant conservation and the remarkable efforts of Bomman, Bellie, and the Forest Department. They highlighted the documentary’s positive impact on raising awareness and support for the Mahouts and Cavadis community. The statement also mentioned the contributions made by Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister MK Stalin towards assisting the caretakers and developing an Elephant Camp in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve.
The makers emphasized that all the allegations were untrue and expressed deep respect for everyone involved in the documentary. They reiterated their commitment to creating positive change.
Interestingly, just a day before these allegations surfaced, the Tamil Nadu government appointed Bellie as the first permanent woman elephant caretaker at Theppakadu elephant camp in the Nilgiris region. Chief Minister MK Stalin personally presented the appointment order to Bellie in a special ceremony attended by Forest Minister M Mathiventhan, Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena, and Supriya Sahu. President Droupadi Murmu, who is visiting Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, is scheduled to interact with Bomman, Bellie, and the other mahouts at the Theppakaadu elephant camp during her three-day visit.
