Exclusives
FICCI Frames 2023: Ayushmann Khurrana on Oscar-winning ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ and his visit to Mudumalai in 2015
Ayushmann Khurrana was one of the chief guests at FICCI Frames 2023 inauguration. He reminisced about his visit to the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve a few years ago.
By Shweta Parande
The FICCI FRAMES 2023 was inaugurated on May 3 at The Westin hotel in Powai, Mumbai. Among the dignitaries, actor Ayushmann Khurrana was one of the chief guests present to flag off the annual media convention organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).
While speaking at the inauguration of FICCI FRAMES 2023, Ayushmann Khurrana spoke about the film industry. Beginning his talk with a poem, he also reminisced the time he had travelled to the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu. Little did one know that a story told about the elephants-human relationship at the wildlife reserve, will win an Oscar Award, he said.
Ayushmaan was speaking about India’s Oscar Award-winning film The Elephant Whisperers, directed by Kartiki Gonsalves, which is based at the Mudumalai forest reserve. The documentary film shows the story of two elephant calves, Raghu and Ammu, who are rescued, adopted and raised like their own children by a couple, Bomman and Bellie.
Ayushmann at FICCI Frames – photo by Shweta Parande
“Ten years ago, I had gone to this wildlife sanctuary at the trijunction of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, and witnessed first hand the relationship between man and animal. I (had) never thought that in 2023 that relationship would’ve been told worldwide and (would) give us an Oscar,” he said.
Take a look at Ayushmann Khurrana’s tweet from 2015 about his visit to Mudumalai. He had tweeted on July 10, 2015, “My vacay @ Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary with @tahira_k was fab! at the trijunction of Kerala Karnataka & TN @TOIEntertain #AyushmannLiveChat.”
My vacay @ Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary with @tahira_k was fab! at the trijunction of Kerala Karnataka & TN @TOIEntertain #AyushmannLiveChat
— Ayushmann Khurrana (@ayushmannk) July 10, 2015
At FICCI FRAMES 2023, Ayushmann Khurrana later also held a Fireside Chat on ‘Redefining the New Age Hero’, in a session moderated by Madhureeta Mukherjee, Editor, Bombay Times.
Turkish actor Burak Deniz was also supposed to be there as a special guest at the inauguration of FICCI FRAMES 2023, but sent a video clip instead, as he had some travel issues. FICCI FRAMES 2023 will be held from May 3-5, 2023, at The Westin Mumbai Powai Lake. This is the 23rd edition of FICCI Frames.
