A fresh wave of controversy has erupted after a Russian art photographer posted a video featuring an elephant painted in "pink". The viral video, which was posted on social media in December 2025, resurfaced in March. While some users appreciated the concept and hailed the idea, a major section of social media labeled it as animal abuse and also questioned the ethical side of the activity.

The shoot was carried out by Russia-based travel photographer, Julia Buruleva. The shoot featured model Yashasvi, and the content was shot around a year ago. In the video, the elephant named Chanchal was being captured in pink shades.

The animal belonged to the Hathi Gaon (Elephant Village) area. Ballu Khan, president of the Hathi Gaon committee, said that the elephant was coloured using gulal—a powder commonly used during the festival of Holi—and that the paint was washed off within 30 minutes. The 70-year-old elephant died last month.

Even as the officials clarified that the death was not linked to the photoshoot and was caused by the advanced age of the animal, the timing of the resurfacing of the post made it controversial.

What Did The Photographer Say?

Russian photographer Julia Buruleva carried out the shoot in November 2025 at an abandoned Ganesha temple in Jaipur. It featured a model and the elephant both painted in a vivid, solid pink shade. Sharing the social media post, Buruleva revealed that she spent six weeks in Jaipur, where the city's iconic pink hue inspired her vision. She also underlined that elephants are a prominent symbol in Rajasthan's culture, architecture, and decor.

"Elephants are everywhere there—streets, ornaments, architecture. Practically the main symbol of Rajasthan. I just couldn't pass by without including one," Buruleva wrote in the post.

Despite these repeated clarifications, the viral nature of the video has triggered concerns about the use of animals for entertainment and artistic purposes. Netizens called for stricter regulations and accountability, questioning whether proper permissions were obtained and if the elephant's well-being was adequately safeguarded.

Amid the emerging social media controversy, Rajasthan forest department officials have announced that the matter will be investigated to determine if any wildlife protection laws were violated. The officials said if any negligence or violation of wildlife protection norms is found, appropriate action will be taken.

How Did The Netizens React?

Netizens gave a negative reaction to the video and condemned the act. One said, "You should be ashamed of yourself for this. We live in times where using animals like this for entertainment is primitive, and you defending it by saying that the owner said it’s okay is sooooo lame."

Another said, "Cruelty is not beautiful." A third commented, "She passed away. Will you now take responsibility?"

A fourth said, "Hey photographer! Being a photographer, I totally respect your perspective and creativity, but DO NOT use animals as a prop. I am sure you could've found 100s of other creative things to get unique photos. ANIMALS ARE NOT OBJECTS; COLOURS ARE EXTREMELY HARMFUL FOR THEIR HEALTH AND SKIN. PLEASE DO NOT USE ANY ANIMAL MOVING FORWARD."