Colonel Hathi is a character who appears in the 1998 live-action direct-to-video filmThe Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story.
He is based on the character of the same name from the original stories by Rudyard Kipling.
Role in the film[]
Hathi is first seen calling the animals to gather at the watering hole where all the animals are gathered, alongside Baloo, Bagheera, and Shere Khan who are all invited. Chil then arrives towards Hathi who gives a reminder that whenever the dry season arrives, any food eaten is strictly vegetarian until the monsoon season arrives to which the animals listening to Hathi obey his orders just as Hathi gives another rule to the animals that prohibits hunting by the watering hole, much to Chil and the other animals reacting in shock to which the reaction was interrupted when the tiger Shere Khan arrives.
The next day, Mowgli finds a fruit and grabs it to which it is known that the fruit belongs to Hathi, much to Raksha's worry to which Hathi also warns Mowgli that there are lots of dangers in the jungle. Mowgli then asks Hathi if he can show the jungle around him to which Raksha agrees, but the most important thing is to stay next to Hathi. As Mowgli rides on Hathi, the elephant explains to the man-cub that the danger the animals mostly fear is wildfire, an object used by humans used to harm the jungle (which the animals call it the Red Flower). As Hathi continues taking Mowgli all across the jungle, it changed Mowgli's life throughout his daily adventures.
The next day, Hathi wakes up Baloo and Bagheera who have rescued Mowgli from Monkey Town which Hathi warns Mowgli about the bad news about his wolf mother Raksha which Mowgli rides on Hathi to arrive at the spot where Raksha was last seen which Baloo and Bagheera follow along where they arrive at Mowgli's home where Mowgli knew the horrible reason about why Hathi took him where they approach Raksha who was killed by Shere Khan, which Akela his family and the friends of the jungle that Raksha's spirits will live in their hearts; Mowgli, who learns about this, then risks himself to leave the jungle after he claims that it was his fault in causing this situation. Later when Mowgli regains his confidence and returns to the jungle to face Shere Khan, Hathi assists Mowgli in battle to which during battle, he banishes Shere Khan for being a very powerful tyrant in the jungle. Afterwards, Hathi then trumpets happily with Mowgli and Li'l Raksha howling after the battle against Shere Khan was successful with Shere Khan and Tabaqui banished. Hathi is not seen again after that.
Trivia[]
- Tai the Elephant also played a role in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book.
