Kartiki Gonsalves after winning the Oscar: The Elephant Whisperers allowed me to speak about the sacred bond between us and our nature

Kartiki Gonsalves’ short documentary The Elephant Whisperers becomes the first film produced in India to win at the 95th Oscars in the Documentary Short Film category. Producer Guneet Monga and the director who helmed this docu-short feature also created history by becoming the first Indian producer and director to achieve this recognition. They are also the first Indian woman producer and director to win an Academy Award. The Elephant Whisperers is produced by Guneet Monga and Achin Jain under the banner of Sikhya Entertainment. 

In her winning speech, Director Kartiki Gonsalves said, “The documentary allowed me to speak about the sacred bond between us and our natural world- for the respect of indigenous communities and the empathy towards other living beings we share our space with. And finally, for co-existence. Thank you to the Academy for recognising our film, and highlighting indigenous people and animals.” The director also thanked Netflix for ‘believing in the power of this film’.

The Elephant Whisperers is a heart-warming story of an indigenous couple who have been given an orphaned elephant, Raghu, to look after. The story follows the couple's journey as they relentlessly work to ensure Raghu’s recovery and survival. The short documentary beautifully stitches the tale of how the couple falls in love with the majestic creature over time. Set against the backdrop of the wild spaces of South India, The Elephant Whisperers highlights the beauty of exotic wildlife, unforgettable untamed spaces, and the people and animals who share this space.

 The Elephant Whisperers and Nattu Nattu from RRR (Hindi) were the first Indian wins at the 95th Academy Awards, ever. Both films are streaming on Netflix around the world.