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The transformational travel guide

The Jungle Book movie celebrates India

by Mariellen Ward · April 15, 2016May 8, 2022 This post may contain compensated links. Find more info in my Disclosure Policy.
Bengal tiger is national animal of India
Spotty is a favourite tiger in Bandhavgarh National Park, India.

Table of Contents

  • New Jungle Book film honours Rudyard Kipling, India and the jungles of Madhya Pradesh
    • Exploring beautiful Madhya Pradesh 
    • A special Indian edition
    • Beautiful Madhya Pradesh

New Jungle Book film honours Rudyard Kipling, India and the jungles of Madhya Pradesh

SUN SLANTING THROUGH the thick canopy, the sounds of wildlife filling the air, a sultry sense of heat. The beauty and lushness of India’s jungles are on centre stage in the new live-action Jungle Book movie.

The jungle is like a character in the film, beloved and revered. Reverence for the natural world is in abundance in the new film. Subtle messages about respecting nature and living within the laws, and the natural flow, of life are weaved into the story — which is still very entertaining and action-packed. The Jungle Book, India, Madhya Pradesh, Kanha, national park, wildlife, sanctuary, Disney, film, movie I cried about five times and jumped out of my skin six. I was enchanted by the beauty of the Indian jungle and mesmerized by the naturalness of Neel Sethi’s acting, as Mowgli. And most of all, I was both thoroughly entertained and profoundly moved.

The Walt Disney Studios film stays true to the original book and to its Indian roots. There is no question the movie is set in India. Having spent more than two years there, I got chills from the shock of recognition. Jungle Book author Rudyard Kipling was born in Bombay in 1865 and grew up in India. Though he travelled widely in his capacity as a journalist for the Civil and Military Gazette in Lahore, he actually never visited the jungle-dense centre of India, the inspiration for The Jungle Book. Instead, he relied on accounts by fellow Britishers. The Jungle Book was published in 1894 and was an instant hit among both children and adults, sparking interest in India among readers.


More reading on Breathedreamgo

  • Best Places to visit in Madhya Pradesh
  • Guide to Kanha National Park
  • Guide to Bandhavgarh National Park
  • Satpura Tiger Reserve
  • Guide to the animals of India.
  • Pugdundee Safaris: Home base for tiger safaris in India

Exploring beautiful Madhya Pradesh 

The big four national parks in Madhya Pradesh, and the best places to see tigers in the wild in India, are Satpura, Pench, Kanha, and Bandhavgarh. Pench inspired Kipling to write The Jungle Book.

Madhya Pradesh, which today is a top travel destination for wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, culture and heritage and tiger tourism. I hope this film, and renewed interest in visiting the jungles of India, will help ensure they are protected in the face of increasing population pressure and environmental degradation.

For stunning photos of Madhya Pradesh from three of India’s top travel photographers, please scroll down.

 

A special Indian edition

Walt Disney Studios honoured the film’s Indian roots by creating a Hindi version of the film with an all-star cast of Indian actors including Irfan Khan as Baloo, Om Puri as Bagheera, Priyanka Chopra as Kaa, Nana Patekar as Shere Khan, Bugs Bhargav as King Louie and Shefali Shah as Raksha. Also, the film was released in India a week ahead of the international, English version with stars Ben Kingsley, Bill Murray, Idris Elba, Christopher Walken and Scarlett Johansson. Mowgli is played by newcomer Neel Sethi, a 12-year old from New York of Indian descent.

The Jungle Book, India, Madhya Pradesh, Kanha, national park, wildlife, sanctuary, Disney, film, movie

Beautiful Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh is a state in the centre of India, and the place that inspired the setting for The Jungle Book. It is known for lush jungles, abundant wildlife and ancient temples. I asked some photographer friends in India to share their favourite photos of the national parks of Madhya Pradesh. If these photos don’t make you want to go to Madhya Pradesh, I don’t know what will!

Kanha National Park: The first two photos are of Kanha National Park. They were taken by the very talented writer and photographer Neelima Vallangi. You can see more of her work on The Wandering Soul’s Wander Tales.

The Jungle Book, India, Madhya Pradesh, Kanha, national park, wildlife, sanctuary, Disney, film, movie, tiger
Ethereal beauty of a setting sun in the buffer zone of the Kanha National Park. Photo by Neelima Vallangi.

 

The Jungle Book, India, Madhya Pradesh, Kanha, national park, wildlife, sanctuary, Disney, film, movie, tiger
One of the most attractive things about the unique landscape of Kanha is the unobstructed views into the heart of the jungle. Photo by Neelima Vallangi.

Bandhavgarh and Panna National Parks: The following three photos below were taken by travel writer and photographer Ajay Jain of Kunzum fame. Bandhavgarh is a very well-known park, and a great place to see tigers in the wild. Panna is the other park that provided inspiration for The Jungle Book.

The Jungle Book, India, Madhya Pradesh, Kanha, national park, wildlife, sanctuary, Disney, film, movie, tiger
Sheshshaiya, a sculpture depicting Lord Vishnu reclining on the seven-hooded serpent king Sheshnaag at the base of the Bandhavgarh Fort. Photo by Ajay Jain, Kunzum.

 

The Jungle Book, India, Madhya Pradesh, Kanha, national park, wildlife, sanctuary, Disney, film, movie, tiger
Most people go to Panna for its national park, but the region is dotted with temples and old buildings; this is a temple inside the Ajaygarh Fort, requiring a half hour hike uphill to reach. Photo by Ajay Jain, Kunzum.

 

The Jungle Book, India, Madhya Pradesh, Kanha, national park, wildlife, sanctuary, Disney, film, movie, tiger
Hues of the Ken river in Panna National Park. Photo by Ajay Jain, Kunzum.

Bandhavgarh National Park: The following photo was taken at Bandhavgarh National Park by photographer Ajay Sood of Travelure.

The Jungle Book, India, Madhya Pradesh, Kanha, national park, wildlife, sanctuary, Disney, film, movie, tiger
She cautiously looked back to check if we posed a threat! Kankati, the Jungle Queen, in Bandhavgarh. Photo by Ajay Sood, Travelure.

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About Mariellen Ward

Professional travel writer Mariellen Ward is the founder of award-winning Breathedreamgo. Mariellen has a BA in Journalism and has been travel writing and blogging since 2005. She has won many awards, including a National Tourism Award from Incredible India Tourism, and writes for some of the world’s leading publications including BBC Travel and NatGeo Traveller India.

Breathedreamgo is an award-winning travel site published by Canadian travel writer and India travel expert Mariellen Ward. Breathedreamgo was launched in 2009 and focuses on transformative travel, travel in India, travel in Canada, responsible travel, and solo female travel.

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Filed under: News/Events, IndiaTagged under: Disney, film, India, Kanha, Madhya Pradesh, movie, national park, sanctuary, The Jungle Book, tiger, wildlife
About Mariellen Ward

Professional travel writer Mariellen Ward is the founder of award-winning Breathedreamgo. Mariellen has a BA in Journalism and has been travel writing and blogging since 2005. She has won many awards, including a National Tourism Award from Incredible India Tourism, and writes for some of the world’s leading publications including BBC Travel and NatGeo Traveller India.

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