Zeenat Aman urges industry colleagues to avoid bringing wild animals to sets ‘at all costs’

IANS

Veteran actress Zeenat Aman on Friday shared her distress regarding the plight of both domestic and wild animals, urging her colleagues in the film industry to avoid bringing wild animals on the sets. Taking to Instagram, Zeenat recounted an emotional experience she had while witnessing an elderly, domestic elephant on the sets of a project. The actress posted a picture of herself wearing a blue and white kurta, standing besides a table adorned with miniature elephant idols.

Her heartfelt note read, “I was brought to tears recently when I arrived on the sets to find an elderly, domestic elephant on the scene. She was standing on the burning asphalt, bejewelled and bedecked... and she stayed there all day as the cameras rolled. I was bound by contract to do my job, but I was absolutely guilt-ridden that such a majestic animal suffered for my job and your entertainment. The plight of animals, both domestic and wild, has always distressed me. I do not believe that any wild animal belongs in captivity, especially not an animal as perceptive, intelligent and emotional as an elephant. From the little I have learnt about this species, I know that they are highly sentient, social animals. To keep them in captivity is to willingly support cruelty.”

Making a sincere appeal to her industry friends and colleagues, she said, “It is my sincere and urgent appeal to my colleagues and compatriots in the film industry to avoid bringing wild animals to the sets at all costs. We are so lucky that India hosts the majority of the Asian elephant population in the world, and that this species is our National Heritage Animal. We are also blessed to have numerous organisations in India that work towards the welfare and conservation of this incredible animal. I am sharing a few resources from such organisations on my stories. I will be elated if you peruse them.”

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