Known to advocate for animal welfare, actor and producer John Abraham is now fighting for animal rights in the language he knows best — cinema. He has thrown his weight behind director Isha Pungaliya’s documentary, Oslo: A Tail of Promise, which will première at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa, this month. At a time when the Supreme Court of India has ordered the removal of stray dogs from public spaces, and their vaccination and sterilisation before being sent to shelters, this film offers a profound message — adopt, don’t shop.
It’s a message that resonates with environment educator Pooja R Bhale, who is at the centre of Oslo: A Tail of Promise. The docu traces how Oslo, a Siberian Husky, entered Bhale’s life as a traumatised puppy and supported her when Mahua, an indie dog, fell ill. “I believe Oslo adopted me rather than me adopting him,” she says, before adding, “This film exists because Oslo changed my life. In sharing that truth, I hope more people understand that the greatest companionship you will ever have will be with an animal you give a home to.” For director Pungaliya, the film was a means to focus “on our relationships with the greater world and not just human narratives.”