Nathoo is Mowgli's father in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. He was portrayed by Faran Tahir.
Role in the film[]
Nathoo is first seen traveling with his 5-year old son, Mowgli and their pet wolf, Grey Brother while guiding Colonel Geoffrey Brydon, his daughter, Katherine "Kitty" Brydon, their good friend Dr. Julius Plumford, some British soldiers, and some other Indian people in India through the jungle.
Later, Nathoo is seen showing his way of affection and love to a Hindi woman to which Mowgli learns and takes a sudden interest to soon enough while Nathoo winks at him. Then, Nathoo hears gunshots and a tiger growl; stating that it is Shere Khan trying to hunt down the hunters: Buldeo and two British soldiers who defied the Jungle Law by killing some animals. As the Colonel demands an explanation to all this, Nathoo states Shere Khan is nearby and is infuriated at the senseless killing. Nathoo reprimands Buldeo for being so foolish and going against the Jungle Law. Buldeo, however, brushes off Nathoo's accusations and insists it was merely "a few animals here or there." Nevertheless, Nathoo isn't happy and replies: "Would you allow someone to break into your house and steal your food?" and that "these three broke the jungle law. Shere Khan knows it. We'd best beware."
At night, in a tent, Nathoo teaches Mowgli some animal names from some animals painted on a pot in both Hindi and English like Baloo (bear) and Bagheera (panther). When he reaches to Shere Khan, Mowgli replies that "it is him"; much to Nathoo's confusion. Mowgli then explains that "the holy man" says that he is half a tiger. The thought of this amuses Nathoo. Then, Mowgli states that "the holy man" told him "when he sees Shere Khan and shows no fear, then he becomes whole tiger." Out of deep curiosity, Nathoo asks his son where he saw this "holy man" and Mowgli replies "In my dreams."
Later, as the tour sets up camp, Shere Khan retaliates for the earlier hunting by attacking the camp - killing a sentry and Sergeant Claibourne, one of the soldiers who had been hunting before, thus, alerting everyone; including Nathoo. Nathoo tells Mowgli and Grey Brother to stay inside the tent while he joins the fight against the tiger. The tiger then finds Buldeo and briefly chases the hunter. When he finally corners Buldeo, Nathoo jumps in and distracts Shere Khan, saving Buldeo's life. Nathoo orders Buldeo to shoot Shere Khan at this opportunity, but the cowardly hunter ungratefully flees (probably also as an act of retaliation for being reprimanded earlier), therefore, leaving Nathoo to die; despite Colonel Brydon and every other soldiers' effort to shoot the tiger which fails. After Mowgli and Grey Brother are separated from everyone due to the tiger attack (thought to be killed by an explosion from a runaway horse carriage carrying Kerosene set on fire by the attack), Dr. Plumford tries to check on Nathoo after receiving many wounds and scratches from the tiger only to tell Colonel Brydon that he is unfortunately and sadly gone.
Eventually, in the end of the film, justice for Nathoo's death has been served as Buldeo ends up being buried alive in a sand-filling tomb inside Monkey City. Also, Mowgli stands up to Shere Khan, who spares and accepts Mowgli as a fellow creature of the jungle; even chuffing and moaning as a sincere apology for killing Nathoo.
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