The Jungle Book is a collection of short stories written by Rudyard Kipling in 1894, the most famous story being a boy named Mowgli being raised by wolves in the Indian jungle. The book features characters like Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther who protect Mowgli from the man-eating tiger Shere Khan. It also includes other stories, such as the adventures of the mongoose Rikki-Tikki-Tavi.

The Jungle Book has three movie adaptations which follow the same plot where Mowgli is found by Bagheera and is taken to live with the wolves. Years later, he has to leave the jungle to go to the man’s village because Shere Khan has returned and wants to kill him, and Mowgli eventually defeats Shere Khan. 2 of the movies were made by Disney. The animated version, which was released in 1967 and a remake live action version was released in 2016. The other version, which is called Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, was directed by Andy Serkis and was sold to Netflix and was released in 2018. After watching each version of the movie, I believe the 2018 version is the best adaptation of The Jungle Book when it comes to the characters’ personalities, specifically Baloo, Bagheera, and Kaa.

Starting off with Baloo, in the book, Baloo is described as being wise, patient, and respected. As it’s stated in the book, “Baloo is the only other creature in the jungle who can come and go as he pleases. He teaches the Law of the Jungle to the wolf-cubs”(Kipling 1894). He can also be stern, especially to Mowgli when he disobeys, but he comes from a place of care and responsibility, since he wants to see Mowgli learn and survive. In both of the Disney adaptations, however, Baloo is described to be easygoing, fun-loving and good-natured. According to his wiki, “the sloth bear is known for his ideals of remaining relaxed as often as possible, and preventing the pressures and responsibilities of life by holding one down, as vocalized through his song, “The Bare Necessities” by Baloo. (n.d.). Disney Wiki.https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Baloo#Personality. However, in Mowgli: Legend Of The Jungle, Baloo’s personality is the complete opposite and the most accurate to the book. Instead of being laid back and easygoing, Baloo is strict, commanding and authoritative like a drill sergeant. He is serious when he’s teaching and was shown smacking one of the cubs for not paying attention in the film. However, he is not heartless and cares deeply for his students and wants to see them succeed, especially Mowgli.

Next up is Bagheera. In the book, Bagheera is described as being wise, intelligent, and cautious. As mentioned in The Jungle Book, “Bagheera was a sleek black panther, cunning and silent, who knew all the ways of the jungle and the tricks of its inhabitants”(Kipling 1894). He is the friend and protector of Mowgli. He’s also described as being “as cunning as Tabaqui, as bold as the wild buffalo, and as reckless as the wounded elephant” but also has a “voice as soft as wild honey”(Kipling, 1894). In the Disney adaptations, I feel like he’s more serious and stern than he actually is in the book and kinda has a similar personality to Baloo in the book. In the 2018 adaptation, they keep his original personality. He calls Mowgli little brother, he is very protective of Mowgli.

Lastly is kaa. Kaa is described as being loyal, and a powerful and wise mentor towards Mowgli. According to the book, “Kaa was not a poisonous snake—in fact, he was a very old and very big rock python, who had grown to be respected by all the Jungle People”(Kipling 1894). Kaa is not evil in any way, but is ancient, powerful, and demands respect. Since he’s been in the jungle so long, he carries this authoritative attitude with him, though he can be manipulative at times. In both the Disney adaptations, Kaa is described to be predatory, evil, and manipulative. He/she has been shown in both movies to hypnotize Mowgli and try to eat him. In the 2018 adaptation, Kaaa’s personality stems from the book. She is a wise mentor to Mowgli and one of his most trusted allies alongside Baloo and Bagheera. Though I will admit, the only thing they got wrong about Kaa was his gender, since in the movie she is a female, but in the book he is male.