Surrounded by five scantily clad Hollywood beauties grabbing at his faux-leather jacket and next to the caption "Whatever Your Pleasure, Make It Pleather, Not Leather", Bollywood "villain" Gulshan Grover stars in a stunning campaign for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India released ahead of Amazon India Fashion Week (March 25-29, 2015).

PETA and Grover aim to raise awareness of the cruelty that cows, buffalo, goats and other animals endure before their skin is turned into shoes, bags and other accessories and to encourage people to buy only synthetic leather. The stunning campaign was shot in Pico Studios in Los Angeles by Ash Gupta of Studio838 and 838 Media Group. Wardrobe styling was done by Pauline Leonard for Cloutier Remix, and Jasmine Ashcroft did the make-up, which featured Hourglass Cosmetics.

"When you shop leather, do you realise that somebody else is paying for it? Somebody else is paying with their lives", says Grover, who has acted in more than 400 films. "Wear something that you are looking killer [in] but you're not killing anyone."

Cows, buffalo and other animals used for leather in India are often crammed onto vehicles so tightly that their bones break. Those who survive have their throats cut in full view of other animals, and many of them are dismembered and skinned while they're still conscious. In addition, runoff from leather tanneries poisons rivers and streams, harming all life within, and has been linked to cancer, respiratory infections and other illnesses in humans.

Grover has previously appeared in ads for PETA India to highlight the cruel, severely crowded transport of animals for leather and to encourage the adoption of homeless dogs. He won the Best Actor International Award at the 2011 New York City International Film Festival for his portrayal of Indian spiritual man Dada Bhagwan in Desperate Endeavors and was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2011 National Film Awards of India for his role in I Am Kalam.