Karthi-starrer Kadaikutty Singam has come under fire from PETA(People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). The organisation has said that the No Objection Certificate (NOC) obtained by the makers from the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) for the use of bulls to depict a rekla race in the movie violated the Supreme Court’s 2014 judgement.
According to Swati Sumbly, PETA India’s senior legal associate, “A Right to Information request-response in which the government of Tamil Nadu made it clear that Tamil Nadu Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Conduct of Jallikkattu) Rules 2007 – framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 2017 – prohibits rekla races in the state. PETA India has complained to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the AWBI and CBFC regarding this,” said Sumbly.
In a statement, Sumbly also said that the NOC violated a notification by the ministry of environment, forests and climate change that prohibited the use of bulls as performing animals. Apart from the rekla race, the movie also carries a scene in the beginning that shows Karthi’s character racing past a town bus on a bullock cart.
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Sumbly was responding to an online article in which the director Pandiraj and actress Priya Bhavani condemned PETA’s move. Pandiraj, during the success meet of the movie, slammed Maneka Gandhi and PETA for forcing a one and a half minute cut on the rekla race featured in the movie. Priya Bhavani also came to the film maker’s rescue and said that the animals were portrayed as the hero’s siblings in the movie.
Meanwhile, the movie starring Sayyeshaa Saighal and Sathyaraj alongside Karthi has been doing extremely well and has already emerged as his biggest hit collecting Rs, 37 crores in the first two weeks of its release. Produced by Suriya, the movie has been appreciated for projecting farming as a viable profession for youngsters.