Arrest Rajamouli, Shobu, activists demand

Rajamouli and Shobu Yarlagadda have invited the ire of some animal rights activists.  A Kerala-based Animal Rights activist group has sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that the makers have violated the rules pertaining to the use of live animals while shooting a film.

Activists belonging to the Heritage Animal Task Force have alleged that the shooting of Baahubali 2 took place in a forest in Trissur recently and in which an elephant named Chirackal Kalidasan was used without getting prior certificate from the Animal Welfare Board of India as per the Performing Animals Registration Rules, 2001.

They also allege that the elephant was made to stand for four hours under the high beam light during the shoot and that the mahout used an ankush, a banned weapon to control the animal. More than 50 members were making noise at the shooting spot which has to be seen as a form of animal torture, the activists have said. Moreover, no Animal Welfare Officer was present during the shoot – again a violation of what the rules say.

The Task Force in its letter to the Prime Minister's Office has asked for the arrest of the cinematographer, the director and the producer.