Call of the wild

Raveena Tandon

In late November, after a visit to the Satpura Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, Raveena Tandon found herself at the centre of a controversy. It was alleged that the actor's safari vehicle was too close to a tiger, and an investigation was promptly launched into the matter. But all's well that ends well. Last week, it was clarified that the concerned driver and guides were under probe, and Tandon had no role to play in the incident. The actor was subsequently invited by Madhya Pradesh's forest department to experience the Van Mela. She has also been made the brand ambassador for the international herbal fair in Bhopal.

The actor says that tiger conservation was the focus of her discussion with Kunwar Vijay Shah, Minister of Forests, Madhya Pradesh, during her latest visit. "He is spearheading innovative conservation measures. The team showed me an improvised, electric version of Maruti Gypsy, which will hopefully be [used] soon in Madhya Pradesh [wildlife] parks," says Tandon. She is delighted that the state is adopting mitigation measures to bring down instances of animal roadkill. "Some highways cut through the forests. So, they have made overpasses and underpasses for the wildlife to cross over, and not end up as roadkills."

Also Read: Raveena Tandon didn't flout any rules: Forest official

As Maharashtra's brand ambassador for wildlife, Tandon is happy to see that Indian states are conserving the country's rich biodiversity. "Excellent work is being carried out in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Assam. India probably has the highest number of tigers and rhinos in non-captivity."

She has put the controversy behind her. Was she upset about it? "It was blown out of proportion. With the recent visit, [the forest team] made up for the unnecessary controversy. I enjoyed my day at the Satpura forest again. We saw the same tigress, as last time."