Netflix Reveals December Release Date for The Elephant Whisperers

The Elephant Whisperers, an upcoming India-set documentary short from Netflix, has just received a release date. Screened last week at the DOC NYC 2022 Film Festival in the US, the documentary depicts the heartwarming story of a South African couple, who fall in love with the orphaned elephant Raghu, who has been given into their care. The Tamil-language documentary releases on December 8 on Netflix and marks the debut of Kartiki Gonsalves. Guneet Monga and Achin Jain, best known for The Lunchbox, are producing The Elephant Whisperers under the banner of Sikhya Entertainment.

Set in a rural South African village, The Elephant Whisperers follows an elderly couple, Bomman and Bellie, who devote their lives to caring for an orphaned child named Raghu, aiding in his recovery and survival. What starts as a simple job, soon changes their daily routine, as the gentle, but magnificent creature forms a family bond, accompanying each other in all activities. The 41-minute long documentary will be available on Netflix with English subtitles and highlights the beauty of the exotic wildlife and people living in the area. As evidenced by the documentary splash screen on the platform, caring for elephants is a family business that spans generations, raising the question of whether the couple’s love for Raghu is a special case – since he is an orphan.

“It was a great pleasure to be a part of the creation of The Elephant Whisperers and to work with Kartiki Gonsalves. At Sikhya Entertainment we aim to create unique stories and The Elephant Whisperers is one of those short documentaries,” said producer Monga in a prepared statement. “It is exciting and highlights the beautiful connection we share with not only nature but other living things on this planet alongside the beauty of wildlife and wild places in -Southern India. I am happy that this story will be watched worldwide through a service like Netflix.”

Another film from the international circuit, Ariyippu, starring Kunchacko Boban and Divya Prabha, was acquired by Netflix last month. Directed by Mahesh Narayanan, the Malayalam film is known as Declaration in English, and follows a struggling couple hoping to migrate out of the country. It premiered at Switzerland’s Locarno Film Festival and broke India’s 17-year drought at the international competition stage.

The Elephant Whisperers comes out December 8 on Netflix.