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PETA files complaint against Mani Ratnam’s Madras Talkies as horse dies on sets of Ponniyin Selvan

PETA files complaint against Mani Ratnam’s Madras Talkies as horse dies on sets of Ponniyin Selvan

Based on a complaint from Prevention of Ethical Treatment of Animals, a case has been registered against celebrated filmmaker Mani Ratman’s production house Madras Talkies stating that a horse died during the shoot of his forthcoming film Ponniyin Selvan at a private land near a film studio on August 11.

Telangana’s Abdullapurmet police station is investigating the case to find out the circumstances that led to the death of the film. Detective Sub-Inspector G Veerabhadraiah of Abdullapurmet police station told an Indian publication that PETA India has alleged that two horses collided head-on during the shoot and one of them died.


“We have registered a case against the horse owner and the production company, Madras Talkies, and started an investigation. The horse owner says his horse died of Colic, a case of abdominal pain that is the cause of death in a majority of horses. However, we are investigating the cause of death,” the official said.

He added that the crew had all permissions in place to shoot at Anajpur village near Ramoji Film City for 10 days. “When we exhumed the body, it was already putrefied. We have sought the statement from the veterinary doctor who conducted the PME,” he said.

The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has called on the district collector of Hyderabad and the Telangana State Animal Welfare Board and sought an inquiry into the death, according to PETA.

Ponniyin Selvan is one of the most-awaited films of 2022. Based on a historical fiction novel of the same name, the film features a galaxy of stars on its ensemble cast, including Vikram, Karthi, Jayaram, Trisha, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi, and Aishwarya Lekshmi in prominent roles, and Prabhu, Sarathkumar, Vikram Prabhu, and Sobhita Dhulipala in supporting roles.

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