Veteran actor expects the Oscar success of “The Elephant Whisperers” to stimulate the Indian documentary scene
The Elephant Whisperers
After Oscar nominations for “The Elephant Whisperers” and “All That Breathes,” discussion began about the state of documentaries in India. Now that “The Elephant Whisperers,” directed by Kartiki Gonsalves, has won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film, many are wondering whether or not this will stimulate the Indian documentary industry.
Kharaj Mukherjee, an established actor, is delighted that an Indian documentary has won an Oscar. “India has a long and distinguished history of documentaries, but the documentary community has been propelled by the dedication of a small but dedicated group of independent filmmakers and the few producers willing to put money into projects even though they expect to lose money. I wish the attention and appreciation is now getting will perhaps change the scene for the greater good,” shares the actor who’s equally excited.
He continues, “After this Oscar win and the worldwide appreciation let’s hope The Elephant Whisperers can make a difference in the way documentary films are typically produced, distributed, and appreciated in our country. The truth is that documentaries require more investment of both time and resources, as well as the backing of major production houses with a serious approach.
Kharaj also believes this will pave the way for more people in India to tell stories like in documentaries. “Our country is culturally very rich and diverse, the geographic and social diversity can produce many more beautiful stories that we all want to hear, and trust me, the world is also waiting,” the actor said.
At the 95th Academy Awards, ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ took home the Best Documentary Feature trophy, but Shaunak Sen’s ‘All That Breathes,’ a film about the dwindling black kite population in Delhi, lost out to ‘Navalny’.
