Publication

Abstract : Delhi national-award-winning 3D-animated feature film set in Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Maharashtra that is known for its biodiversity. The opening scene of the film shows a tearful lion cub, Yuvraj, recollecting the painful sight of his father Sultan being killed in the national park. Sultan, the alpha male—considered the king of the jungle—tried protecting his home from humans felling trees. As a result, he was shot dead and silenced, like Avni the tigress. Sultan’s murder silenced the voice of all the forest animals, but was viewed as just collateral damage. While only fictional, this story mirrors reality and brings into focus uncomfortable questions that animal activists across India are trying to address. The film initiates a conversation on the importance of animal rights in India and focuses on the need for the protection of biodiversity and the environment.