Veteran actress Zeenat Aman in an Instagram post has urged her colleagues in the film industry to refrain from bringing wild animals on the set, sharing how she recently got distressed after encountering an elephant subjected to the harsh conditions during a film shoot.

“It is my sincere and urgent appeal to my colleagues and compatriots in the film industry to avoid bringing wild animals onto set at all costs,” she posted on Instagram on Friday, sharing her recent experience.

“I was brought to tears recently when I arrived on set 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 am absolutely guilt-ridden that such a majestic animal suffered for my job and your entertainment,” she also wrote.

The Bollywood veteran went on to write about how India is lucky to host the majority of the Asian elephant population in the world. “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,” she mentioned.

Talking about her long association with animal rights, Zeenat also wrote that she has never believed in keeping wild animals in captivity. “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,” she stated.

The actress also shared a couple of images displaying her love for animals. While one of the photos shows Zeenat posing with miniature elephant figurines, the other features a newspaper clipping from 1973, highlighting a fundraising effort for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Calcutta with Zeenat and the late Dev Anand.

Zeenat also invited her followers to share their favourite wildlife experiences, emphasising the importance of encounters with wild animals in their natural habitats. “Signing off with hope for a kinder world where non-human species are afforded the dignity they deserve,” she signed off.