# The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli & Baloo

Rudyard Kipling's The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli & Baloo is a 1997 American adventure film produced by MDP Worldwide and released by TriStar Pictures, and functions as a prequel to Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book (1994). While the film is named after The Second Jungle Book (which the 1994 film adapted), the film is actually a live action adaption of the original book, adapted for the screen by Bayard Johnson and Matthew Horton. The film stars Jamie Williams as Mowgli, with Roddy McDowall and Billy Campbell in supporting roles.
It was shot in Kandy Central Hills, Sri Lanka in July to September 1996 and features some well known Sri Lankan actors like Wijeratne Warakagoda, Sunil Hettiarachchi and Raja Sumanapala.

## Plot

10-year-old Mowgli has been raised amongst a wolf pack as well as Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther in the Jungles of India. Mowgli is the target of the notorious bandar-log (monkey people) who frequently attempt to kidnap him to teach them the ways of man. However, his greatest enemy is Shere Khan the tiger, who killed the boy's father.
Mowgli is soon spotted by an American traveler named Harrison, who wishes to take the man-cub to his circus in America. Mowgli escapes from Harrison and brings along Timo, the pet monkey of Harrison's companion named Chuchundra. Harrison enlists the help of a wealthy man named Buldeo to help him find Mowgli. Buldeo is none other than Mowlgi's paternal uncle - Mowgli is the rightful heir to his father's inheritance. For this reason, Buldeo seeks a snake charmer named Karait who owns Kaa the python, in order to kill Mowgli, pretending to use the snake to simply track the boy.
Mowgli is banished by the wolves for bringing home Timo, who is believed to be a cousin of the bandar-log. Timo is later kidnapped by the bandar-log - Baloo and Mowgli arrive at the Ancient City, the home of the bandar-log to save Timo but Baloo is trapped in the process. Harrison, Buldeo, Karait and Chuchundra successfully capture Mowlgi and bring him to their camp. At night, Shere Khan attacks the camp and Mowgli escapes when fighting him off. However, he is ambushed by Buldeo who attempts to kill him but fails thanks to Harrison's intervention. Baloo escapes from the bandar-log and rescues Mowgli. The two then return to the Ancient City and manage to save Timo whilst encountering King Murphy who wishes to make Mowgli king. The four men arrive at the Ancient City and split up to find Mowgli. Harrison attempts to help Mowgli, along with Timo who are down in a temple with cobras, after having escaped from King Murphy and the Bandar-log, but is injured by Buldeo who finally reveals his true intentions of wanting to murder his nephew.
Buldeo is confronted by Baloo and Bagheera who arrive to help Mowgli with the wolves. He hides in a canon which is lit by the bandar-log, being sent to the other side of the jungle where he is killed by Shere Khan. Meanwhile, Mowgli is rescued by Harrison Karait who used Kaa to get the boy out of the cobras' temple and returns Timo to Chuchandra. King Murphy realizes that Mowgli is leaving and he tells him that because he can't stay with him, the whole city can be his and he finally understood that it belongs to the jungle and says goodbye to him telling him that one day he will find his place in the world. Harrison offers to take Mowgli back to raise him as his own by offering him a home in the United States, having changed his mind about wanting the boy to be living in a circus. Mowgli instead decides to run with the wolves with Harrison and Chuchandra bidding him farewell.

## Cast

* Jamie Williams as Mowgli
* Billy Campbell as Harrison
* Gulshan Grover as Buldeo
* David Paul Francis as Chuchundra
* Dyrk Ashton as Karait
* Roddy McDowall as King Murphy
* Cornelia Hayes O'Herlihy as Emily Reece
* B. J. Hogg as Colonel Reece
* Amy Robbins as Molly Ward
* Raja Sumanapala as Buldeo's Servant

## Reception

The film mostly received negative reviews from critics. McDowall was nominated for Worst Supporting Actor for this film at the 1997 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards but lost to Jon Voight for Anaconda.