Aarushi Nigam (BOMBAY TIMES; October 17, 2018)

Today, a jumbo-sized deficit finally gets filled in Hindi cinema. As Junglee Pictures release the teaser of Vidyut-Jammwal-starrer Junglee, get ready to get intimately close to a family of elephants and their adopted human. Run, ride and frolic with these lovable jumbos as the teaser immerses you into the jungle deep. You won’t want to get out.

With Junglee, directed by Chuck Russell, the venerable elephant returns to Bollywood’s centre stage after almost half a century. Shocked? Yup, that’s how long it’s been since Haathi Mere Saathi stole everyone’s hearts, and made them cry buckets. One of Rajesh Khanna’s biggest hits, and one of Hindi cinema’s most-loved children’s films, it was released in 1971. It has been 47 years since we saw the unbreakable bond of human and elephant on the big screen and the gentle giants taught us the meaning of love and sacrifice. The lesser-known Safed Haathi released in 1978, and since then, there has been a hulking silence.

The lack of children’s films is literally the biggest elephant in Bollywood’s room. Ask any child for their favourite animal characters from films, and you’ll only get Hollywood names in reply. Even the best-loved Indian jungle in filmdom is something we have to thank Hollywood for — the Jungle Book movies, which, for instance, also has one of the best-loved elephant characters on screen, the forgetful war veteran Colonel Haathi. But from George Of The Jungle and Indiana Jones: The Temple of Doom, to the Ong Bak series, to Water For Elephants and even the ‘Oliphaunts’ in the Lord Of The Rings films, the elephant finally gets a stage worthy of its size in Junglee. Kids will finally get their jumbo-sized heroes without bumpy dubbing!

Junglee has everything to take kids and animal lovers on a rollercoaster ride alright, but it’s not just a jungle-gym style adventure. It’s also a gripping story about the importance of protecting those we share the earth with. The film tells the story of a young veterinarian “who must return to an elephant preserve in the jungle, when the elephants he loved as a boy are in jeopardy from an international gang of poachers,” says director Chuck Russell, who has films like The Mask and The Scorpion King to his credit. Earlier, Chuck had told us that he wanted to address the global problem of ivory poaching with a uniquely Indian story. “My goal is to make a film that is true to India, but uses the music, dance and the wonderful artists in Bollywood to tell a universal story about returning to the natural world,” he had said.

In a country where Ganesha is so omnipresent, the director of an ‘elephant film’ can’t be unaware of its significance. Russell had told us he hoped to be able to capture that sentiment with Junglee. “I am familiar with Ganesha from the incredible artwork I’ve seen,” he had told us, “I’m quite fascinated with mythology from various cultures... I also see God in these animals. Maybe I can express a little of that in the film. The fact that the positive spirit of animals is reflected in Hanuman, Ganesha and other deities means Indian culture recognises that spirit.”

Junglee – directed by Chuck Russell, produced by Vineet Jain and co-produced by Priti Shahani – releases in cinemas on April 5, 2019.