The Elephant Whisperers win at Oscars: Editor Sanchari Das Mollick makes Bengalis proud

It was a glorious evening for India at the 95th Academy Awards as RRR’s Naatu Naatu bagged the Best Original Song award and Kartiki Gonsalves’ The Elephant Whisperer won the Best Documentary Short Film Award. While Bengali-origin filmmaker Shaunak Sen’s All That Breathes failed to bag the award for Best Documentary Feature, another Bengali woman brought fame. Sanchari Das Mollick is the editor of The Elephant Whisperers and her photo with the Oscar trophy went viral on social media. 

Sanchari is from Kolkata and she lives in Golf Green with her mother Shubha Das Mollick, and her father Sadan Das Mollick. Shubha is a retired professor at St Xavier’s. Sanchari’s grandfather Manajendu Majumder, along with Satyajit Ray, was co-founder of the Calcutta Film Society. 

After her win, mother Shubha said, “When the film was nominated, I was happy. After the win, I texted a congratulatory message.” While talking to her mother Sanchari complained about why she did not congratulate her a little before! Shubha also informed me that Sanchari was flooded with messages. 

Sanchari received the offer of this film when she was in Goa. this was her first documentary. She had worked in ad films and features films earlier.   

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.