King Khan bats for wildlife

King Khan is doing his bit for wildlife conservation. He appears in a public service campaign, to be broadcast at all international and domestic airports, to raise awareness about the issue.

In the 1-minute clip, Shah Rukh Khan speaks up for the Indian forest guard, saying: "He is our nation's unsung hero. Day in and day out, he is matching wits and battling powerful enemies-wildlife poachers and timber smugglers-and he is willing to lay down his life for this." Khan, who reportedly charges Rs 3.5 crore to endorse products, has done this campaign gratis.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Airports Authority of India, HDFC and DSP Merrill Lynch have also chipped in with financial and logistics support for the programme spearheaded by the Sanskara Trust and Asian Conservation Awareness Program (ACAP).

"This campaign serves the need of the hour; more and more people will become aware of the importance of saving wildlife and preserving forests and this will help protect the environment," says Deepak Parekh, Chairman of HDFC, in a statement.

This programme is being supported by the Indian Broadcasting Foundation and networks like Doordarshan, National Geographic Channel, Discovery and Animal Planet.