Jaipur’s elephant painted pink for controversial influencer video passes away, owner offers clarity

The controversy over a pink-painted elephant used in a photoshoot near Amber Fort has intensified, with the animal’s owner denying allegations of abuse and officials initiating an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding its death following the controversy.

The elephant, Chanchal, became the centre of a public row after a video showing a model seated atop the animal, both painted pink, went viral on social media. The clip, originally posted in December 2025, by Russian photographer Julia Buruleva, gained traction in recent weeks, coinciding with reports of the elephant’s death.

Mahout Sadik Khan, the owner, rejected claims of mistreatment, stating that the 70-year-old animal died in February due to age-related heart ailments.

“It was organic dry gulal. The photoshoot lasted about 10-15 minutes, and no chemicals were used,” he reportedly said, adding that a post-mortem conducted by forest authorities attributed the death to cardiac issues.

Buruleva also maintained that only organic, locally sourced colours were used during the shoot and that the animal remained calm throughout.

She claimed she drew inspiration from Jaipur’s iconic pink theme and cultural imagery during her six-week stay in the city.

While the forest department declined to comment officially, sources said a committee has been set up to examine the matter.

Chanchal was previously part of a group of elephants used to ferry tourists to Amber Fort but had been retired from such duties around five years ago. In recent years, she was used for short rides within the Hathi Gaon area.

Following the elephant’s death, Buruleva expressed condolences in a social media post, reiterating that the shoot had taken place months earlier and could not have contributed to the animal’s demise.