MUMBAI: Actress Helen Mirren feels nature plays an important role in the existence of humankind, and the ongoing pandemic is a lesson in that direction.

Mirren, who recently participated in a special virtual press event for her upcoming film, "The One And Only Ivan", found the technical experience, necessitated by post-Covid-19 norms, to be a fascinating one.

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"It was a fascinating technical experience, and that's the amazing thing about our job. We are always and constantly exposed to completely new experiences, like this digital experience," Mirren said.

"I was in awe of the technique, the technicalities that (we) had to be on top of it," she added.

"The One And Only Ivan" talks of animal rights, and opens up a conversation about animal care and treatment.

"Nature and animals are a part of our life and our existence, as well as insects and diseases. We are only at the very beginning of our knowledge of actually how important the natural world is to us. This Covid-19, for example, is an incredible lesson in that direction," she added.

Directed by Thea Sharrock, "The One And Only Ivan" released on Disney+ Hotstar Premium in India on August 21.

The story follows Ivan, a 400-pound silverback gorilla, who shares a communal habitat in a suburban shopping mall with Stella the elephant, Bob the dog, and various other animals. Ivan has few memories of the jungle where he was born, but when a baby elephant named Ruby arrives, it touches something deep within him, and Ivan begins to question his life and his roots.

The film is based on a a children's novel of the same name written by KA Applegate and illustrated by Patricia Castelao.

The live action-animation film also features the voices of Sam Rockwell, Danny DeVito, Angelina Jolie, Brooklynn Prince, and Chaka Khan, besides actors Bryan Cranston, Ramon Rodriguez, Ariana Greenblatt, Indira Varma and Eleanor Matsuura.

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