A social media post featuring actor Vikram with a Lar Gibbon has drawn the attention of wildlife authorities, with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department initiating an inquiry into the animal’s background and how it came to be kept in India.
Vikram had recently shared a video on Instagram in which he is seen interacting with and hugging the primate. While the clip initially attracted attention for the actor’s playful interaction with the animal, questions soon emerged online about the legality of keeping a Lar Gibbon as a private animal. The post has since been removed from his Instagram account.
According to a reports online the Lar Gibbon is reportedly owned by CK Ranganathan, Founder Chairman of CavinKare and the father of Manu Ranjith, who is married to Vikram’s daughter Akshita. The video is also said to have been shot at Ranganathan’s farmhouse along the East Coast Road in Chennai.
With the video bringing the animal into the spotlight, forest officials are now examining its history, including its origin and the documentation pertaining to its import and possession. The inquiry is expected to establish whether the animal was brought into the country and kept in accordance with the applicable wildlife regulations.
Native to parts of Southeast Asia, the Lar Gibbon is subject to stringent international regulations. The species is included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which places tight controls on its international trade and movement. Its presence in India consequently requires the relevant permissions and documentation.
The species also finds mention under Schedule IV of India's Wildlife Protection Act. It is classified as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The development comes amid growing scrutiny of exotic wildlife being privately kept in India, with the authorities' probe likely to establish the circumstances surrounding the particular animal featured in Vikram's now-deleted video.
Meanwhile, on the work front, Vikram is set to headline an upcoming action thriller directed by Anand Shankar. The actor, who previously collaborated with Shankar on Iru Mugan (2016), will reportedly play a cook in the new project. Produced by Sathya Jyothi Films, the film has music by Santhosh Narayanan.
