Big scare for Ash, Abhi as elephant runs amok

Bollywood superpair Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan had a jumbo scare when one co-actor went berserk. The co-actor, an elephant, was brought in for the shoot of Ravan, directed by Mani Ratnam.

His film company, Madras Talkies, has now been issued a show-cause notice by the Animal Welfare Board for not taking permission to use elephants in the film. One of the two elephants brought for the shoot turned amok, killing its mahout on Wednesday. Police said there was no shooting today and the unit had informed them they were shifting to Udhagamandalam.

The film was being shot with the lead pair in the forests near Athirampally waterfalls in Thrissur district when the mahout was trampled to death by the elephant after the shoot was over. Aishwarya, Abhishek and Mani Ratnam were at the shooting site when the incident took place.

Animal Welfare Board secretary D Rajasekar said no permission had been obtained by Mani Ratnam for using elephants. The Board has asked the company to submit its reply in seven days and the chief wildlife warden to give a report about the incident.

A no-objection certificate has to be obtained from the board for shooting films, TV serials and commercials in which animals are used.The elephant, which stood in the middle of the road blocking the way of the Bollywood pair, who were staying at Athirampally Rainforest resort, was brought under control late last night and taken away from the spot early Thursday morning, the police said.