One of the biggest films to hit the screens in 2016 is Walt Disney’s real-life take on the classic Jungle Book. Already a larger hit at the box office than expected, the family favourite is this time being personified using a live actor as Mowgli with realistic CGI animals guiding him through the landscapes of India.
The location team took over 1,000 pictures while researching the Indian jungles, which would explain why the CGI is so life-like. Speaking of which, did you realise the whole film was staged in a Los Angeles Studio with green screens and set props? Regardless, the Jungle Book is cinematically stunning and has been widely praised for being geographically accurate.
This does mean that fans of the film cannot visit physical filming locations while on holiday in India. Aside from one place. Long before the Jungle Book was ever a Disney film (even the animated one in the 1960s) it was exactly as the name suggests – a book. Written in the late 19th Century by Indian-born English author Rudyard Kipling, the inspiration for his vivid descriptions was Khana National Park, right in the heart of India.
An introduction to Khana National Park
The largest national park in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Khana National Park is an exotic sanctuary of bamboo forests and grassy meadows. The minute you step out onto the planes you’ll understand why it was the inspiration behind the original Jungle Book writings.
Home to a range of animals, jeep safaris take place daily. Bengal tigers, Indian leopards, the sloth bear and Indian wild dog can all be found roaming the grounds.
Spotting a real life Shere Khan
Also known as Khana Tiger Reserve, if the film has piqued your interest in seeing these beautiful cats in the wild then this is one of the best places to do so. The new Jungle Book film has been noted for it’s geographically accurate appearance of the animal characters, with Shere Khan being no exception.
Usually easier to spot on a morning safari, the big cats are protected from outside threats while in the park. The nearby Bandhavgarh is also a popular location for tiger encounters, so travellers who really want to spot the stripy mammals will have more than one opportunity.
The friends and family of Mowgli
The creators in charge of bringing Mowgli’s animal family to life took their time to create characters that were visually stunning but also native to India. All the animals seen on screen can be found in the country (aside from King Louis – who is based on the Orangutan Gigantopithecus, a prehistoric mammal that is geographically accurate but now extinct) as the artists took care to bring the story to life in an authentic fashion.
Keep an eye out for Baloo while on safari – sloth bears are commonly found in the Khana region. The wolf population in India is still on the plus side and prefer rural areas so sightings of Akela and Raksha are not unheard of. If Kaa and Bagheera are your favourite characters, you might have to look a bit harder – both are under threat of extinction and are difficult to spot unless you’re looking for them.
The first village after the Jungle
Eventually it’s time to leave the jungle like Mowgli. Instead of heading to the nearest village, a popular choice after a jungle tour is the city of Nagpur. Known as the “Tiger Capital of India” it is a hub that connects the rest of India to the tiger reserves.
Nagpur is the third largest city in the state of Maharashtra, and one of the most modern cities in India. Tourism footfall is high as the city offers a wide range of activities and sights, not just involving tigers. Visit one of the many temples, take in the stunning views at Ambazari Lake, explore Maharajbagh zoo and watch a game at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium – a world-class cricket stadium. Nagpur is the perfect place to introduce yourself to the urban world again after creating your own book of jungle memories.