The team of The Elephant Whisperers including director Kartiki Gonsalves, producer Guneet Monga, the star couple Bomman and Bellie, Monika Shergill, Vice President content of Netflix, Achin Jain (Sikhya) were present at the Mumbai press meet held recently. The film won the Academy Award in the Best Documentary (Short) category. The Free Press Journal was also present at the do.
Opening up about how she felt when she received the Oscar, Kartiki says, “It was a real moment I think. I was thinking of other documentaries which could have been here, but I realised it was our Bomman and Bellie, our elephant. We didn’t waste time hugging each other. I half held Guneet and then I realised that I had to rush to the stage. We had to speak to the world and impart our messages to the world.”
Guneet Monga (l), Kartiki Gonsalves (r) pose with their Oscars | Pic: ANI
(l-r) Achin Jain, Guneet Monga, Monika Shergill, Kartiki Gonsalves, Bellie, Bomman | Pic: Varinder Chawla
When asked what message she would like to give new filmmakers, Kartiki explains, “It is the way for all people looking forward to start up small stories and also small documentaries that don’t have large budgets. This is my debut film. I have worked in a gym, a clothing store, I was in advertising for a couple of years and here I am today. I hope this allows the entire generation of people who are trying to showcase the diversity that India has. It’s very important that we go out of our country and share its beauty with the world.”
One wonders whether her achievement would now give more power to women filmmakers and technicians working behind the cameras. “The Oscar win is going to propel the direction further for more women to be seen behind the cameras, in the writing scene, in the directorial team. In the wild life scenario there has been a massive change already. We have many young women like cinematographers who have stepped out right now. It’s really beautiful to see this change happening. We are soon going to have a strong women force in the wild life in India,” Kartiki avers.
(l-r) Guneet Monga, Bellie, Bomman and Kartiki Gonsalves | Pic: ANI
When we asked Guneet if she has signed a three-film deal with Kartiki, she replies, “We will be definitely making more projects with Kartiki. Surely we will not leave her.”
Apart from her big win, Guneet is elated about Shah Rukh Khan’s tweet too. “Shah Rukh Khan sir tweeted, ‘A big hug’. I just replied, ‘Sir please in person’. I have not met him and I am still waiting to meet SRK,” she gushes.
Bomman, Bellie | Pic: Varinder Chawla
When asked to elaborate about the selection process of the film at the Oscars, Guneet shares, “There are about 10,000 voters so we are not allowed to ask anything about that. We can’t directly ask, ‘Who voted? Who didn’t vote?’ But I think, if the film has appealed to so many people it is because of Bommon and Billie’s selfless love. Their love transcended boundaries and age groups as well. We have had two year old babies looking at the film spellbound without even blinking. Our DMs are full of positive comments. I don’t think the Academy voters are anyone else, they are all excellent film makers. We stand here as the testimony of work.”
On a parting note, Guneet talks about the approach filmmakers should have if they wish to try for an Oscar. “I have been telling this from the days of The Lunchbox, that especially for the Oscars, you need a solid American distribution for your piece of content. For short formats you definitely need to qualify the Oscar’s festivals, but as you do feature films and India sends more of feature films it’s very important for all of you to understand that the film should have solid American distribution. We are out here for the extensive experience of the Netflix US award team and the global impact it has had.”
