News Coverage

Nov 11, 2016 47th International Film Festival of India – Interview with Sangita Iyer – Director of Gods In Shackles
Sangita Iyer is an Award-Winning Journalist, three-time International Award-Winning Nature and Wildlife Film Maker and the Director of documentary film, “Gods in Shackles”.
She has reported and anchored for the ABC/ CBS affiliate in Bermuda, produced Nature and Wildlife reports for the Daily Planet on Discovery Channel Canada, Co-founded the Bermuda Environmental Alliance and is currently a Contributing Writer for The Huffington Post.
May 25, 2016 National Geographic – New Film Shows Brutalization of Temple Elephants in India
Every year from December through May, the state of Kerala, in southern India, experiences a frenzy of religious ceremonies. Millions of people participate in the festivities, which honor various gods. At the center of these celebrations are hundreds of captive elephants, ornately decorated and paraded around temples and along Kerala streets.
July 17, 2016 The Telegraph – Trunk Call
There are all kinds of film festivals. But it’s nice to know that there is an International Elephant Film Festival, too. Canada-based journalist Sangita Iyer’s film God in Shackles was nominated by this fest – in the United Nations General Assembly – and has won seven international awards so far.
July 5, 2016 The Telegraph – New documentary exposes brutal treatment of India’s temple elephants
Considered by many Hindus to be the embodiment of Lord Ganesh, the Indian elephant holds a special place in Indian culture – particularly in Kerala, whose ancient temples are famously home to hundreds of captive elephants.
July 22, 2016 Deccan Herald – Award-winning documentary on temple elephants to be screened tomorrow
‘Gods in Shackles’, an award-winning documentary film that focuses on the life and misery of captive elephants, will be screened in the city on Saturday. The 92-minute-long non-fictional video, shot and produced by Canada-based journalist and wildlife filmmaker Sangita Iyer, was made with one objective: to subvert any fascination for elephants used in processions, temples, entertainment, rides, resorts or circuses.
July 21, 2016 The Hindu – Highlighting the plight of Kerala’s captive elephants
Sangita Iyer describes her connection with elephants as ‘soulful.’ “On a trip to India in December 2013, I was devastated to see how captive elephants were taken care of. Raw, bleeding wounds on their feet and wounds on their hips as well as being whipped by their mahouts — I saw a little of this and was devastated by it,” said the independent nature and wildlife documentary filmmaker and producer.
July 21, 2016 Nyoooz – Highlighting the plight of Kerala’s captive elephants
Summary: Sangita Iyer describes her connection with elephants as ‘soulful.’ “On a trip to India in December 2013, I was devastated to see how captive elephants were taken care of. The 92-minute documentary depicts the plight of temple and captive elephants in Kerala and was shot by Sangita and her team in 2014 in Kerala and predominantly features the Thrissur Pooram festival.
July 21, 2016 News Today – Temple elephants go through daily torment
Chennai: A wave of indignation and gushing fury coupled with a feeling of animosity towards fellow human beings grip one after watching ‘Gods in Shackles’, directed by the wildlife journalist and documentary filmmaker Sangita Iyer.
July 20, 2016 The Times of India – Gods in shackles: Plight of temple elephants
It was love at first sight when Sangita Iyer met Lakshmi more than two years ago. The Canadabased documentary filmmaker instantly connected with the elephant, one of the few females found in temples. During a trip in November last year, Iyer was shocked to find Lakshmi’s left eye swollen shut, tears constantly streaming from her eyes.
July 18, 2016 The Hindu – All for Lakshmi
A powerful feature-length documentary, Gods In Shackles, brings viewers face to face with several uncomfortable truths about how as a society we perceive animals and treat them. Sangita Iyer’s 92-minute film explores the use of Asian elephants in India’s cultural and religious festivals by following elephants highlighting how unsuitable they are for such activities.
July 18, 2016 Headlines News – We Must Have Elephant Rescue Centres: Maneka Gandhi
New Delhi:  Union Women and Child Development Minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi is moved by the appalling evidence of elephant torture and trauma brought out by “God in Shackles”, a critically acclaimed documentary exposing the abuse of Kerala’s captive elephants. She says elephant rescue centres were the need of the hour.”Gods in Shackles”, directed by Canada-based Sangita Iyer, portrays stories behind the veil of Kerala’s prestigious temple festivals.
July 18, 2016 UC News – Captive Elephants used for commerce, not culture: Docu director
In November 2014, when Toronto based biologist, Sangita Iyer visited “soul-animal” Lakshmi, in her hometown in Kerala, she was devastated to see the elephant reeling under pain having been blinded by her mahout. Lakshmi, is among the many elephants who are held captive by religious authorities in Kerala to be used in the state’s globally popular temple festivals.
July 17, 2016 Press Trust of India – Elephants captivated for commerce, not culture: Docu dir
In November 2014, when Toronto based biologist, Sangita Iyer visited her “soul-animal” Lakshmi, in her hometown in Kerala, she was devastated to see the elephant reeling under pain having been blinded by her mahout.
July 17, 2016 Let Us Publish – Must watch – Gods in Shackles Documentary
Gods in Shackles is a 92-minute documentary film that explores the use of Asian elephants in India’s cultural festivals and temples. It was nominated at the United Nations & Jacksonhole Film Festival in New York March 3rd, and has won six international film festival awards within the first three months in 2016.
July 17, 2016 Business Standard – We must have elephant rescue centres: Maneka Gandhi
Union Women and Child Development Minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi is moved by the appalling evidence of elephant torture and trauma brought out by “God in Shackles”, a critically acclaimed documentary exposing the abuse of Kerala’s captive elephants. She says elephant rescue centres were the need of the hour.
July 17, 2016 Daily World – We must have elephant rescue centres: Maneka Gandhi
New Delhi, July 17 : Union Women and Child Development Minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi is moved by the appalling evidence of elephant torture and trauma brought out by “God in Shackles”, a critically acclaimed documentary exposing the abuse of Kerala’s captive elephants. She says elephant rescue centres were the need of the hour.
July 16, 2016 Scroll – Documentary ‘Gods in Shackles’ on temple elephants is an eye-opener
Sangita Iyer’s investigative documentary Gods in Shackles takes on one of Kerala’s sacred cows – the captive elephant that is pressed into service for ceremonies and festivals at several of the state’s temples. The Canadian filmmaker sets most of the documentary in Thrissur, where the annual Thrissurpooram temple festival sees one of the most spectacular pachyderm parades in the world. In this “epicenter of the elephant entertainment industry”, as Iyer labels it, she finds compelling evidence of cruelty and neglect.
July 16, 2016 The Indian Express – Faith in Fetters: Gods in Shackles highlights the plight of temple elephants
The dark night still covers the sky, but the day has begun for Lakshmi, as she is woken up for a bath in the neighbouring tank filled with contaminated water. Scrubbed by her mahout, she is fed leftover rice before being taken to the Thrissur temple in her shackles, where she is followed by pilgrims during the ritualistic rounds around the sanctum. There is no freedom during the afternoon break either. She lives in constant fear of severe punishment, involving hours of torture and starvation.
July 14, 2016 Deccan Herald – Tortured in temples
As a child, Sangita Iyer used to go with her grandparents to their family temple in Kerala’s Alathur village which is in Palakkad. It was where she developed a deep bond with the temple’s elephants. Then she moved to Canada, but carried along the memory of these majestic animals tied in chains. It was in December 2013, during one of her home visits, when she was devastated to witness the sad state of these elephants in temples. “There were tumours in their hips, raw bleeding wounds on their legs and tears streaming down their faces. They were deprived of food and water, and still paraded beneath the scorching sun,” recollects Iyer, who has been a video journalist for over 17 years.
July 12, 2016 The Times of India – Gods in Shackles screened
Sangita Iyer’s documentary Gods in Shackles was screened in Kochi on Monday. The film exposes the unpleasant truths of the ‘elephant business’ in Kerala and has triggered debate among animal lovers as well as temple festival committees all over the state. It shows elephants being ill treated by their mahouts, and beaten mercilessly to tame them down, as a routine practice.
July 9, 2016 Yahoo Lifestyle – ‘Gods in Shackles’ to be screened in Delhi
New Delhi, July 9 (IANS) “Gods in Shackles”, an award winning documentary on abuse of elephants, will be screened here on July 16. Having received an encouraging reception at screenings held in Boston, Los Angeles, and the Kerala Legislative Assembly, the internationally-acclaimed documentary will be screened in Delhi to raise awareness about cruelties on temple elephants.
July 9, 2016 Business Standard – ‘Gods in Shackles’ to be screened in Delhi
“Gods in Shackles”, an award winning documentary on abuse of elephants, will be screened here on July 16. Having received an encouraging reception at screenings held in Boston, Los Angeles, and the Kerala Legislative Assembly, the internationally-acclaimed documentary will be screened in Delhi to raise awareness about cruelties on temple elephants.
July 8, 2016 The Hindu – Plight of pachyderms in documentary frames
God in Shackles , a documentary exposing the torture stories of Kerala’s captive elephants, has drawn critical appreciation from animal activists as well as general public. The maiden screening of the film for public at Kairali theatre, Thrissur, was with tight security against the backdrop of threat from different quarters.
July 8, 2016 News Experts – “Gods in Shackles”, to be Screened in Kochi
“God in Shackles” a multiple award winning and United Nations nominated documentary exposing the hideous torture stories of Kerala’s captive elephants in the backdrops of the glamorous festivals will be screened for public on July 11 Monday in Audi 4, Cinepolis, Centre Square Mall, M G Road Kochi.
July 6, 2016 The Times of India – Film on elephant torture to be screened on July 11
Kochi: A documentary on the abuse of elephants, Gods In Shackles, would be screened in theatres across Kochi on July 11 at 4pm on Wednesday. In order to create awareness among the public about the plight of the abused elephants, the documentary, directed by Sangita Iyer, would be screened without an entry fee.
July 2, 2016 The Economic Times – Culture misused to cover abuse of elephants: Sangita
Thrissur: Sangita Iyer, director of the documentary Gods in Shackles, has said that culture and traditions are being misused used as covers to abuse elephants for mere commercial purposes in Kerala.
July 2, 2016 The Times of India – Culture misused to cover abuse of elephants: Sangita
Thrissur: Sangita Iyer, director of the documentary Gods in Shackles, has said that culture and traditions are being misused used as covers to abuse elephants for mere commercial purposes in Kerala.
June 30, 2016 India Today – Gods in shackles: Documentary on elephants at law makers’ doorstep
The elephants are made to stand under the scorching sun on concrete floors for hours, chained and threatened by mahouts with sharp objects.
June 30, 2016 Manorama Online – ‘God in shackles’: Will Pinarayi end the miseries of captive elephants in Kerala?
Thiruvananthapuram: Putting the focus back on the plight of elephants in Kerala, a documentary on the cruelties against temple tuskers was screened at the state assembly on Wednesday. The question is whether the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government would take any practical steps to end the miseries of these tuskers, without hurting the religious sentiments?
June 30, 2016 NDTV – ‘Gods In Shackles’: Elephant Agony Reaches Kerala Assembly
Thiruvananthapuram: It was a ‘trunk’ call for Kerala legislators. ‘Gods in Shackles’, directed by Canada-based Keralite Sangita Iyer, is an award winning documentary on how elephants are abused in the name of temple festivals in Kerala. On Wednesday, it was screened in India for the first time in the Kerala Legislative Assembly complex, on the suggestion of the Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan.
May 30, 2016 Nature World News – Tortured, Starved: Documentary Exposes Abuse of Temple Elephants in Kerala, India
Behind the vivacious religious festivities in India are hundreds of elephants chained to tree stumps, beaten into submission and starved on a daily basis.
May 23, 2016 Peta – Gods in Shackles
Sangita Iyer was intimidated, chased, and threatened with death. She still fears for her life as she goes head to head with a well-funded industry that has a vested interest in protecting its secrets. But her story has to be told.
Dec 30, 2015 Indiaspora – Gods in Shackles | The Endangered Asian Elephant
In June 2013 when I embarked on my journey to India for my father’s first death anniversary, little did I know that I would be guided to serve a grander mission! Although it may sound esoteric to some, I’ve come to believe that this is just the way life unfolds.
Dec 10, 2015 The Dodo – Elephant Beaten And Blinded In The Name Of ‘God’
An elephant forced to work at a religious temple in India was beaten so badly by her caretaker that she was left blind. It is the kind of cruelty that befalls hundreds of temple elephants in southern India, says Sangita Iyer, the filmmaker behind ” Gods in Shackles,” a forthcoming documentary about their plight.
Sep 14, 2015 The Dodo – Elephants Chained All Day And Night In The Name Of Religion
Today, across Asia, some elephants can be chained day and night at religious temples, say activists. This elephant in Colombo, Sri Lanka, is trying to remove a chain from her feet near the Gangaramaya Buddhist temple.