Korda had read and been so impressed Kipling's 'Toomai of the Elephants', that when documentary director Robert Flaherty came to him for backing, he readily gave it to him and sent him to India in February 1935. After over a year with nothing productive been done, Korda sent director Monta Bell to help out. and then Zolta Korda. By Summer 1936, with over 55 hours of background footage and still no story, the crew were brought back to Denham Studios . Writer John Collier was brought in to produce a simple script for Zoltan to shoot in the studios and on location on the River Colne.
The film started out as a potential disaster but turned out to be a great success, winning Best Director Award at the 1937 Venice Film Festival and establishing Sabu as a popular star.
This was the first film to star Sabu, who was discovered by cameraman Osmond Borrodale working as a mahout for the Maharajah of Mysore, and. who went on to become a major star.
This film was included in the first syndicated television presentation of a package of major studio feature films on USA television; it premiered in St. Louis Sunday 27 June 1948 on KSD (Channel 5), followed by Detroit Sunday 18 July 1948 on WWJ (Channel 4), by Buffalo Sunday 25 July 1948 on WBEN (Channel 4), by Baltimore Friday 30 July 1948 on WMAR (Channel 2), by Philadelphia Friday 6 August 1948 on WFIL (Channel 6), by Boston Sunday 15 August 1948 on WBZ (Channel 4),by Chicago Monday 23 August 1948 on WGN (Channel 9), by Cleveland 12 September 1948 on WEWS (Channel 5), by Salt Lake City Sunday 3 October 1948 on KDYL (Channel 4), by New York City Friday 22 October 1948 on WPIX (Channel 11) and by Atlanta Wednesday 19 January 1949 on WSB (Channel 8). The package consisted of 24 Alexander Korda productions originally released theatrically between 1933 and 1942.
This film is included in, "Eclipse Series 30: Sabu!", released by Criterion.
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