Mowgli/Relationships (2024)

The relationships of Mowgli from The Jungle Book.

Romances[]

Shanti[]

Shanti is the love of Mowgli's life and the first human he laid eyes on. They met by a complete chance one day when Shanti is collecting water from the river outside the Man Village while fantasizing about her future. When the man-cub fell into the river from a tree above it, he was easily noticed by her. Though Shanti was surprised by his presence, she was curious about him and lured him into the village in hopes of getting to know him. At the village entrance, Mowgli looked deep into Shanti's eyes and became entranced by her beauty.

Shortly before The Jungle Book 2, Mowgli and Shanti had become close friends. Because the village leader tasked Shanti with guiding Mowgli through the work hours, which mainly includes retrieving water from the river and attending to the fruit trees, the two spend time together every day. Despite their conflicting personalities, they do enjoy each other's company, show that they have learned a lot from each other and have grown to care about each other as more than mere friends. After their adventure in the jungle, Shanti managed to conquer her fear of the wild and began to see its warm and welcoming side. When Mowgli ultimately chose to return with her to the village, the two began a romantic relationship.

In Shanti's song "My Own Home", it is foreshadowed that Mowgli and Shanti will marry once they reach adulthood and start a family of their own.

Katherine Brydon[]

Katherine Brydon appears in the live-action film Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. She is Mowgli's childhood friend, and love interest.

Kitty met Mowgli when she and her father, Geoffrey Brydon, move to India as part of the colonel's new command posting. The two become good friends, and she gives Mowgli a bracelet that belonged to her mother. Mowgli is soon separated from man's world, and Kitty is deeply saddened when she thinks Mowgli is dead. The two are reunited years later, and find themselves falling in love while Mowgli relearns the ways of man from her. Kitty is later used as a hostage by Captain Boone and his henchmen to force Mowgli to take them to a treasure. Mowgli manages to defeat the villains and ensure Kitty's safety, after which they officially begin a relationship.

Family[]

Raksha and Rama[]

Despite being a completely different species, Raksha adopted Mowgli when Bagheera brought the man-cub to her den, knowing he desperately needed to be nurtured and cared for. For ten years, Raksha and her mate Rama raised Mowgli as their own and taught him the ways of the wolf. However, she accepted his limitations such as his lack of animal survival instincts and his lack of fangs and claws. As such, she kept Mowgli within the safety of the wolf grounds and only let him go beyond them under Bagheera's supervision.

When Mowgli came of age, he was no longer dependent on Raksha's care and therefore was ready to be sent back to civilization where the wolves hoped the man-cub would prosper among his own kind and live up to what nature intended for him.

Messua and Her Husband[]

When Mowgli entered the Man Village, he was adopted by the village leader and his wife, Messua. The couple was kind and caring to him, making sure Mowgli would feel welcome in their family and the whole community and treated him with just as much love as they showed their birth son, Ranjan. Even though Mowgli showed gratitude for their kindness and hospitality, he did not feel comfortable with them being his new family, seeing them more as authority figures instead. Messua and her husband took notice of his feelings but respected his boundaries, believing the boy simply needed time to adjust to his new life.

Nevertheless, Messua and Ranjan's father took discipline very seriously and expected Mowgli to work and obey the village rules just like every other child in the village. Such a highly organized and disciplinary lifestyle was foreign to Mowgli and caused him to want to retreat to his old life where things were simpler and carefree. However, after hearing how much the villagers miss him upon his return to the jungle and that his adoptive parents are personally leading the search party, Mowgli begins to appreciate his human family more than ever. Eventually he embraces Messua and Ranjan's father as his parents and happily returns with them to the village.

Ranjan[]

Ranjan was the only child of Messua and the village leader until they adopted Mowgli, making Ranjan the youngest child. As with his wolf siblings, Mowgli treats Ranjan kindly and shows him all the love a brother can give. Because Ranjan is so young, however, Mowgli is more protective of him and keeps him out of danger at all cost. Ranjan shares Mowgli's happy-go-lucky attitude and practically idolizes him for his charm, playfulness and especially because of his exciting life in the jungle. As such, Mowgli and Ranjan have a close brotherly relationship.

Nathoo[]

Friends and Allies[]

Bagheera[]

Mowgli and Bagheera have been close friends ever since Mowgli was adopted by the wolves. Because Bagheera discovered Mowgli, he feels responsible for his safety and well-being. As such, he has dedicated himself to mentor Mowgli and look out for him at the time of need. During Mowgli's time with the wolves, Bagheera visited him regularly. During his visits, Bagheera often took Mowgli on walks through the jungle, allowing the two to bond.

At the age of 10, Mowgli and Bagheera's friendship was briefly threatened when the latter revealed he and the wolves had decided to return Mowgli to civilization. Although the decision was based purely on love and concern for the boy, the man-cub felt he was being rejected. Bagheera eventually became fed up with Mowgli's bratty behavior and the two went their separate ways. Their friendship was later rekindled after the battle with Shere Khan.

In Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, Bagheera was the one who found Mowgli and his pet wolf cub Grey Brother and took them to be raised by a wolf pack family so as to be safe from Shere Khan. Mowgli and Bagheera have a great friendship as Mowgli grew older and stronger. Bagheera helped Mowgli through many dangers. He was finally seen continuing his life in the jungle with Mowgli and Kitty.

In The Jungle Book: Mowgli’s Story, Bagheera is female and acts as a motherly figure to Mowgli.

In the 2016 version of The Jungle Book, Bagheera serves as Mowgli's mentor and protector, teaching him the ways of the jungle and how to survive. Bagheera is shown to be very fond of Mowgli, as he acknowledges how special he is when Baloo mentions his talents. He is stern and believes in enforcing what Mowgli has learned in the wolf pack, angrily stating that Mowgli's inventing of tools has no place in the jungle. This changes later on, and Bagheera learns to let Mowgli be himself. He is also fiercely protective of Mowgli if the boy is in danger, as he fought Shere Khan twice to allow Mowgli to escape.

Baloo[]

Baloo is Mowgli's best friend and father figure. Mowgli first met Baloo and thought of him as an enemy not an ally. Baloo and Mowgli soon became best friends and Baloo officially adopted Mowgli as his bear cub. Once Baloo realized Shere Khan was on the hunt for Mowgli, he promised Bagheera he will take Mowgli back to the man village although he didn't want to. Mowgli soon thought Baloo had betrayed him and ran off. Once Mowgli encountered Shere Khan, Baloo risked his life to save him. Baloo and Mowgli once again became friends with Mowgli realizing Baloo only wanted the best for his cub.

In affection, Mowgli often refers to Baloo as "Papa Bear" while Baloo usually refers to Mowgli by "Little Britches".

In Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, Baloo was found as a brown bear cub stuck in a narrow hole of an empty log until a 5-year-old Mowgli found and saved him. Mowgli and the cub became close friends after that along with Mowgli's pet wolf cub. Grey Brother. Baloo was more of a childhood companion and best friend of Mowgli's rather than a teacher of the jungle or a father-figure to him. He helped Mowgli throughout many dangers but in the end, he was badly wounded after being shot by British soldiers. Luckily, Mowgli found Dr. Julius Plumford who was able to cure and save him. Then, Baloo continued his life in the jungle with Mowgli and Kitty in the end.

In The Jungle Book: Mowgli’s Story, they have the same playful relationship.

In the 2016 film, Mowgli's relationship with Baloo is somewhat different. Baloo originally rescues Mowgli from Kaa only so that he could con him into retrieving honey for him. However, as they spend more and more time together, they bond and become the best of friends. Unlike Bagheera, Baloo is more supportive of Mowgli's inventive ways, and after learning what he is capable of, readily helps him. Baloo also is like Bagheera, incredibly protective of Mowgli, willing to overcome his fear of heights and fight Shere Khan to protect the man-cub.

Hathi, Jr.[]

Hathi, Jr. is Mowgli's friend.

Colonel Hathi[]

Colonel Hathi is Mowgli's other friend.

Buzzie, Flaps, Ziggy, and Dizzy[]

A group of vultures Mowgli meets after finding a place he could be by himself. At first Mowgli was annoyed by their jokes about his looks, but then they warm up to each other and become friends. However, they are interrupted by Shere Khan, who frightens the vultures into hiding behind Mowgli and retreating to the nearest tree. As Mowgli and Baloo fight Shere Khan, the vultures cheer them on until the tiger started chasing Mowgli around the clearing, dragging Baloo along with him. Realizing Mowgli's escape was a losing battle, the vultures flew down and picked up Mowgli just as he was about to be bitten by Shere Khan. They helped Mowgli fly to safety and then help him scare the fierce tiger away with fire. In the end, they remark how dull it's going to be without Mowgli around, and go back to wondering what they should do to pass the time.

Enemies[]

Shere Khan[]

Shere Khan is Mowgli's arch-nemesis and Shere Khan wants nothing more than to kill Mowgli. In the first film, due to Shere Khan's hatred towards man, he decided to eliminate Mowgli before he was old enough to gain the ability to use man's guns and fire. During their first encounter, Mowgli underestimates the tiger and refuses to back away. Shere Khan is amused by the boy's bravado and gives him a head start, though the man-cub refuses to play by his rules; instead of running away, Mowgli picked up a tree branch and was still facing him. It is only when Shere Khan leaped towards Mowgli with claws and teeth bared when the man-cub realizes how truly dangerous the beast is. Eyes wide, Mowgli was struck with fear as he watched the ferocious tiger come straight at him, but is fortunately saved by Baloo at the last moment. Though afraid, Mowgli does everything he can to help Baloo fight Shere Khan, whacking the tiger with the branch, until he is forced to retreat as the tiger started chasing the boy around the clearing. Mowgli tried to escape, but it was a losing battle as Shere Khan was too fast for him, leaving the vultures to fly down and pick up Mowgli just as he was about to be bitten by Shere Khan. Ultimately, Mowgli acquires fire to drive Shere Khan away.

In The Jungle Book 2, Shere Khan's hatred for Mowgli has become personal now that he has lost the fearful respect the jungle once had for him. His hatred drives him to extreme lengths, such as infiltrating the Man Village itself to kill the boy. He finally encounters Mowgli again near the ancient ruins, and, followed by Shanti and Baloo, chases him to a ruined temple, where he ends up trapped under a giant statue.

Mowgli and Shere Khan had a very different relationship in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. Shere Khan was the one who caused Mowgli's separation from man's world, but the tiger never tries to kill him. The two meet for the first time at the film's end, where Shere Khan accepts Mowgli as a creature of the jungle.

In The Jungle Book: Mowgli’s Story, they still have the same hatred for each other. In the end, however, the tiger promises the boy he won’t bug him again.

In the 2016 remake, Shere Khan's hatred of Mowgli takes a darker, more sinister turn. Shere Khan killed Mowgli's father while they travelled through the Jungle, leaving the infant Mowgli an orphan. The tiger bears the burn scars from a flaming torch upon his face from that encounter and afterwards, a permanent hatred of man. Years later, Shere Khan, upon realizing the boy survived his attack, immediately states that man is forbidden in the jungle, and demands that Akela and the Seeonee wolf pack hand him over to him. Shere Khan also kills Akela for the pack's defiance of his wishes when the man-cub escapes him and takes over the pack to draw Mowgli out so that the tiger can finish what he started years ago. When Mowgli finally faces Shere Khan, the tiger stops at nothing to try and kill him in revenge, defeating his wolf family, Baloo and Bagheera to pursue him. Mowgli uses this obsessive hate to his advantage to lure Shere Khan into a trap and kill him, tricking him into leaping onto a dead tree branch that cannot hold his weight and plummeting to his death in the raging forest fire below.

Kaa[]

Kaa and Mowgli are complete enemies. Looking over with considerable relish, Kaa's main goal through the film is to eat Mowgli and after three attempts, he still failed. Unlike with Shere Khan, Mowgli is not intimidated by Kaa but instead finds him annoying and nothing to be concerned about. However, Mowgli would realize he underestimated Kaa, unable to do anything other than stare when the python attempts to hypnotize the man-cub by looking into his eyes and wrap him in his coils, transfixed, gaping, and helpless. Before long, Mowgli had a dazed look as he sleepily let out a cry for help to Bagheera, only to be silenced when Kaa constricts his tail around the boy's neck. Kaa had Mowgli completely in his grip only for Bagheera to intervene, resulting in the boy's innocent act of selfish defiance saving the panther and crippling the snake temporarily. When they meet again later, Mowgli is surprised but learned from their first encounter to not look into Kaa's eyes, though was afraid to get caught in the python's hypnotic gaze. Kaa insists that Mowgli can trust him while trying to make him face his eyes, much to the man-cub's annoyance as he scrambled to untangle himself from the snake's tail, but Mowgli suspects Kaa is lying and turns away. Unfortunately, Mowgli underestimated Kaa again, letting his guard down into being blindfolded with a makeshift turban from the snake's coils, and as the annoyed man-cub struggles to push him off his head, which resulted in him gazing directly into the python's eyes with no time to react and is hypnotized a second time. Mowgli develops glassy-eyes and an enormous dumb grin as Kaa sings "Trust in Me", teasing the sleeping man-cub as his eyes closed and briefly snored for a moment. The man-cub slumped into Kaa's coils, the snake slowly began tightening himself and prepares to consume the helpless boy until Shere Khan interrupts him. Although Mowgli managed to escape Kaa's coils, the boy now began to see Kaa as a genuine threat and fled from him.

In Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, Kaa served more as a guardian of King Louie's treasure in Monkey City than an antagonist. He was close to killing Mowgli until he was wounded by Mowgli's dagger and gave up the fight. He is seen at the end successfully killing Mowgli's enemy Captain Boone.

In the 2016 remake of The Jungle Book, Kaa is a female, instead of male. However, she is still interested in eating Mowgli, like her previous male incarnation in the 1967 film. She, also like her previous incarnation, hypnotizes him and shows him visions of his past. Had it not been for Baloo's timely arrival, she would have readily devoured him. She is not seen again afterwards, so it is unknown how it affects Mowgli from then on.

King Louie[]

Mowgli and King Louie are enemies, although Mowgli is more tolerant of him than Shere Khan and Kaa. After receiving word that Mowgli the man-cub is no longer protected by the wolf pack, the King of the Apes took advantage of the situation. He ordered his primate minions to kidnap and bring Mowgli to him. Initially, Mowgli had a low opinion on Louie, thinking him to be insane, wanted nothing to do with him and even tried to attack him in anger for his abduction and earlier treatment of Baloo. However, the man-cub warmed up to Louie when the king offered him refreshments and explained his motive for kidnapping him. Not before long, King Louie had successfully exploited Mowgli's naïveté and convinced him that he would make sure he could stay in the jungle and offer him protection in exchange for making fire for him. After Bagheera and Baloo arrived to rescue Mowgli, King Louie revealed his true colors by preventing his escape. Mowgli realized the mad ape planned to keep him prisoner until he revealed the secret of fire and instantly turned against him as a result.

William Boone[]

Captain Boone only appears in the live-action film Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. He is Mowgli's nemesis.

Boone and Mowgli get off to a bad start when Mowgli pushes him into a river on their first meeting (Mowgli has mistaken his advances on Kitty as an attempt to hurt her). Boone later has Mowgli arrested when the jungle boy is caught in the city, and has his men beat him continuously to get information about a jeweled dagger that was in his possession. Boone later comes to see Mowgli as a rival for Kitty's affection, and also threatens to hunt him down when Mowgli refuses to take him to the ruined city where he found the jeweled dagger, along with other treasure. Boone finally resorts to kidnapping Kitty (who by now has rejected him) to force Mowgli to take him and his men to the treasure. Mowgli and Boone have a final battle in the treasure room, which Mowgli wins. Mowgli than takes Kitty and leaves Boone, and the captain is attacked and killed by Kaa soon after.