The Goddess Kali is depicted smoking on the poster of a recent documentary by filmmaker Leena Manimekalai, who has courted controversy. A police complaint was filed against the film director as a result of the poster’s harsh criticism for its offensive nature. Manimekalai provided clarification on Twitter hours after the poster caused a commotion and thousands of people criticised the film’s director. In response to the uproar, she stated that the movie is about the incidents that occur one evening when Goddess Kali arrives and strolls through Toronto.
The filmmaker continued her statement in Tamil by asserting that she has nothing to lose. She remarked that she wished to communicate with a voice that was fearless. “If the price is my life, I will give it,” she wrote in a later tweet in Tamil.
The image she tweeted on Sunday depicts a lady smoking a cigarette while wearing the garb of the Hindu goddess. The rainbow flag, which represents the LGBT community, is also visible in the background.
Due to its representation of the goddess, the poster provoked controversy online, with users criticising it for hurting Hindu feelings. Hindus revere Kali, who is seen as a source of power and a representation of the triumph of virtue over evil. The hashtag “ArrestLeenaManimekalai” trended on Twitter for hours after she posted it, with some users calling for Home Minister Amit Shah’s intervention.
