New Delhi: The poster of a documentary film that depicts Hindu goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette has sparked outrage on social media. Many are calling for the arrest of the filmmaker.
Super thrilled to share the launch of my recent film – today at @AgaKhanMuseum as part of its “Rhythms of Canada”
Link: https://t.co/RAQimMt7LnI made this performance doc as a cohort of https://t.co/D5ywx1Y7Wu@YorkuAMPD @TorontoMet @YorkUFGS
Feeling pumped with my CREW❤️ pic.twitter.com/L8LDDnctC9
— Leena Manimekalai (@LeenaManimekali) July 2, 2022
With Twitterati demanding action against its maker Leena Manimekalai, the hashtag #ArrestLeenaManimekalai began trending on the micro-blogging platform.
The controversy erupted after Leena Manimekalai shared the poster of the film on social media. The poster depicts a woman dressed in the costume of Goddess Kaali. She is seen smoking a cigarette in the photo. Along with her usual accoutrements of trishul (trident), and sickle, the actor playing the goddess is shown wielding the LGBTQ+ community’s pride flag.
Soon after she shared the poster, Leena Manimekalai was at the receiving end of online brickbats online. Social media users asked the Aga Khan Museum, where the film was launched, to take it down immediately.
The maker of the film, Leena Manimekalai, has urged people to watch the movie first before vilifying it.
“The film talks about the events when Kaali appears in an evening and takes a stroll in the streets of Toronto. Once you watch the movie, you’ll change the hashtag from #ArrestLeenaManimekalai to ‘love you Leena manimekalai’,” she tweeted.
Here are some of the reactions:
Why are Hindu gods, goddesses and articles of faith mocked, ridiculed, demeaned at the altar of ‘liberal creativity’? Must Hindus be punished for their tolerance? Aren’t Hindus being forced to adopt a more hardline posture? https://t.co/B5wS8J7xJu
— Sreemoy Talukdar (@sreemoytalukdar) July 3, 2022
Video of Leena Manimekalai smoking while being dressed As goddess Kali
Insulting Hindu Gods for cheap publicity. Shameful.
Such filmmakers should be permanently banned from making movies.#ArrestLeenaManimekalai #ArrestTasleemRahmani#ArrestLeenaManimekali
भारतीय संस्कृति pic.twitter.com/rdYiE8cxou— GyanGanga (@sarinmall85) July 4, 2022
#ArrestLeenaManimekali #ArrestPratikSinha
Now mocking HINDU gods …is becoming a trend in this country.
Y bhi Nupur Sharma ki wajah s hoga…? #SupremeCourtIsCompromised pic.twitter.com/mtrdCjcfdi— Ananya Upadhyay (@AnanyaU44071970) July 4, 2022
