Actor Jiah Khan may not be in the news for signing umpteen films, but it looks like the young actor is putting her free time to good use. Jiah, who made her debut in Bollywood opposite superstar Amitabh Bachchan in Nishabd, now wants to educate people against cruelty towards animals. Jiah has joined hands with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) for the same. Sources say that though this is not the first time she has teamed up with the organisation, this time around she is trying to create awareness against wild animals being kept in zoos."The last time Jiah had posed as a wounded bird wrapped in a string. The message was to urge people to ban glass coated manja thread, specially used during the Makar Sankranti festival, to fly kites. Sharp manjas are fun for flying kites, but they end up wounding many birds. The campaign got her a lot of positive feedback and that is what encouraged her to lend her support for a worthy cause again," says a source close to Jiah.
An organisation member, however, tells us that this time Jiah chose to stand up against animals locked away in zoos, because she identified with their plight as an entertainer. It's not like Jiah has been forced to perform ever, but apparently she instantly identified with the thought of having to put up an act before thousands of people, for a few claps. "We actors choose to entertain, but animals locked away in zoos are given no choice," she rues whilst drawing parallels.
The campaign picture, featuring Jiah, has apparently been shot in London and sees the petite actor locked in a cage, donning a leopard-print bodysuit. Jiah adds, "All living beings treasure their freedom above all else and that applies to tigers, elephants, bears, monkeys – all animals on the planet. We have no right to snatch it away from them for our entertainment."
