A photographer has found himself at the center of an animal rights row after making a controversial poster of an elephant in India.
Russian actress Julia Buruleva was attacked after burning a 65-year-old model and animal, who has since died, in bright pink paint to bring her vision to life.
He has now spoken out about the ongoing controversy surrounding the photo shoot in Jaipur, India – and says people are still “spreading fake news” about what happened.
Earlier this month, Buruleva excitedly shared details of her latest project, which she undertook during a six-week trip to the capital city of northwestern Rajasthan.
Explaining how he came up with the idea, the Barcelona icon said: “Maybe it was better to come to India just for this shot.
“After the first week, when my brain was full of all the colors and images of the city, this idea came: a pink elephant against the old Rajasthani gates.”
Chanchal the elephant died months after the photoshoot, the animal’s owner said (Instagram/@julia.buruleva)
“Elephants are everywhere – on the streets, decorations, buildings,” Buruleva said. “It’s actually the main symbol of Rajasthan. I couldn’t pass without including one.
“They are often decorated for festivals and celebrations – the local people paint them in all kinds of colors. I decided on one solid elephant in bright pink, the most popular color in Rajasthan.”
He explained that organizing this was very ‘intense’ and said he had to visit several elephant farms before finding someone willing to work with him.
“In a farm with the most reasonable manager, I went four times to show that I’m serious,” the 47-year-old added, before telling his followers that finding a place to shoot was also a ‘nightmare’.
The end happened in a Hindu temple, after he finally followed the example who was ‘willing to strip and paint pink’.
In the caption of his Instagram post that shared pictures of the preparation process and wrote how the elephant’s skin was colored, Buruleva added: “For anyone who is worried about the elephant – we used a natural, locally made paint, the same kind that the locals use for the festivals so it was completely safe for the animal.”
Photographer Julia Buruleva insisted the elephant was ‘safe’ and calm’ during the shoot (Instagram/@julia.buruleva)
The photographer has since insisted that ‘no harm was caused by the elephant at any time’ during the shoot, which he says took place in November last year.
He told The Independent about the paint used on the elephant: “It was used in a very short time and it was easy to wash off.
“The entire meeting was short and conducted under the supervision of the elephant’s keeper, who is responsible for its daily care and well-being.”
After the hilarious pictures he took in Jaipur went viral, many social media users criticized the photographer for putting an elephant in the experience.
Buruleva insisted the animal was ‘calm, relaxed and responsive’ for the photo session.
“In Jaipur, elephants seem to exist in the cultural sphere – in ceremonies, decorations and everyday life,” he continued. “And I saw them painted every day, because it’s also part of the local culture.”
A bright pink powder was reportedly used to color the animal’s skin (Instagram/@julia.buruleva)
He continued: “I understand that this issue is of concern to many people. “At the same time, I believe that it is important to distinguish between situations where animals are truly injured and those where the assumptions may not fully reflect the reality.”
The elephant’s owner, Shadik Khan, said the elephant named Chanchal died in February. He preached again New Indian Express that ‘kaccha gulal’ was used to dye elephant skin.
Stating that the shoot lasted 10 minutes, he said the bright pink paint was washed off soon after. The color powder is temporary and does not leave stains.
It has since been reported that Indian forest officials in Rajasthan have launched an investigation into the photoshoot to determine whether proper permits were obtained and whether animal welfare laws were followed.
After this update, Buruleva shared a short statement on his Instagram story on Tuesday (March 31).
“There has been a lot of misinformation spread about this project and the Pink Elephant,” he said.
“I don’t know who started it, but from what I’ve been told, the elephant died recently of old age and it’s sad, but the photoshoot happened four months before that and it had nothing to do with it.
“Please check your sources before sharing false information!”
Buruleva also shared a statement that Indian actor Saurav Kumar posted on the Internet in support of the shooting, saying: “He did not bring the elephant from the country or force anything for the sake of the news. Everything was done well with the participation and permission of the owner. If the owner, who is responsible for the animal, is fine with it, then who are you to sit here and say without context?
“It has been explained that natural, non-toxic dyes were used. The same type that is normally used here. However, people want to act like experts and spread half knowledge without doing basic research.”
LADbible has contacted Buruleva for comment.
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