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Title: ELEPHANT BOY

Reference number: 7494

Date: 2004

Director: d. Rene Mohandas

Sponsor: Scottish TV, Grampian TV, Scottish Screen National Lottery Fund

Producer: René Mohandas, Durdana Shaikh, Poonam Sharma

Production company: Wish

Sound: sound

Colour: col

Fiction: non-fiction

Running time: 25.05 mins

Description: A Scottish women's act of charity inadvertently sends a disabled Indian beggar boy on a difficult, spiritual journey from the streets of Mumbai to an ancient hilltop temple. [synopsis from Scottish Screen brochure "New Scottish Short Films 2004"]

Note:- National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive also preserves 'Wish Films' version with slightly different opening sequence.

See also ELEPHANT BOY website with further information, including stills gallery and comprehensive screenings diary, at http://www.elephantboy.co.uk [last accessed 12/2/2010] The story is inspired by real events.

First broadcast on Scottish Television, 10th March 2005, 11pm.

New Found Land commissions six digital 24-minute dramas for television broadcast and theatrical distribution. The scheme runs every two years.

Credits: Jai - Rajesh 'Jai' Kumar
Nisha - Sangeeta Gopal-Vagela
Beggar Master - Nawaz Uddin
Durdana - Durdana Shaikh
Madam - Pratima Kazmi
Station Cop - Joginder Singh
Little Girl - Pooja
Boy 1 - Rakesh
Boy 2 - Rajesh
Bus Ticket Man - Vrajesh P. Sampat
Boy In Photo - Christopher Worsley

line producers Vrajesh P. Sampat, Abdol Razzak
1st Assistant Directors Aubin Sebastian , Sudeep Sengupta, Ashita Katary

2nd Assistant Directors Janani Ravichandran, Aparna Purohit
Casting Kanchan Ghos, Ashok Ashish, Harekrishna Jani
Casting workshop Asif Basi, Pratima Kazmi
Location Manager Vrajesh P. Sampat
Location Assistants Praveen, Ashok Nalla
Production Managers Yogesh Sampat, Parvin, Komud Shahi
Production Assistants Jay Singh, Pradeep, Nell Keay

Runners Liyakat Ali, Faiyaz Ahmed, Rajesh Yadav, Yasin Dawood, Saleem Khan, Prem Kumar, Muna Shaikh

Lighting Gaffer Barket MZaria
Assistant Camera Vijay Kadoria
Boom Operator P. A. Laxman
Continuity Vinay Waikul, Sujata Venkateswaran
Storyboarder Jaeson Flynn
Art Director Amar M. Vidhate
Art Assistant Virender
Make Up Bashir Khan
Dresser Atik Ahamad
Accountant Sanjay Singhania
Assembly Editor (India) Praveen Prabhakaran
Dubbing Assistant Craig Aitchison
Online Editor Ian Ballantyne

Many thanks to Mohan and Rosmarie Mohandas, Rakesh Mehra, Jaeson Flynn, Amrik Singh, Yvonne Isimeme Ibazebo, Bedi family, Shaikh family, Harpal Vardi, Shashi, Metali, Zaynah, Bill Clark, Asif Kapadia, Arc Facilities, Cameron Communications, Chandra & Galaxy Multimedia Mumbai, Brendan McGuirran & HSBC Bank

Director of Photography Sudheer Palsane
Director of Photography M. S. Sundaresan (2nd schedule)
Production Designer Agnes Goveas
Sound Recordist Debasish Mishra
Composer Iain Cook
Sound Design John Cobban
Editor Bert Eeles
Executive Producers Becky Lloyd Agnes Wilkie
Producers René Mohandas, Durdana Shaikh, Poonam Sharma

w. and d. Rene Mohandas

A Wish Production for Scottish TV, Grampian TV and Scottish Screen. © MMIV.

Shotlist: Synopsis from website at http://www.elephantboy.co.uk [last accessed 01/02/2021]

"A beggar boy tries to escape the harsh city and embarks on a spiritual journey.

A Scottish woman’s act of charity inspires a crippled Indian beggar boy to escape the beggar master who controls him. The boy’s plan backfires; he is separated from the girl he secretly loves and flees the city. Unable to find his way home, he embarks on an arduous spiritual journey.

Jai is a young crippled street kid hustling and begging in Mumbai. He gets lucky when a tourist gives him money and plans to return to his village. When the Gang Master who controls Jai punishes his friend, Nisha, Jai takes revenge and is forced to flee the city. Alone and unable to find his way home, he embarks on a pilgrimage to atone for his sins and pray for a better life."