'Kaali' Poster Controversy: Indian High Commission In Canada Urges Makers To 'Withdraw Provocative Material'

The poster shows Goddess Kali smoking a cigarette with one of her hands while in another, she can be seen raising the Pride flag, depicting the LGBTQIA community.

Filmmaker Leena Manimekalai faces ire over controversial poster of her documentary 'Kaali'.

Source : Instagram

New Delhi: Filmmaker Leena Manimekalai is facing a lot of backlash after she released the controversial poster of her documentary titled 'Kaali' on social media. The poster shows Goddess Kali smoking a cigarette with one of her hands while in another, she can be seen raising the Pride flag, depicting the LGBTQIA community.

The filmmaker is receiving worlwide flak for hurting religious sentiments of the Hindu community, by depicting one of their Goddesses in such form. The documentary 'Kaali' that was showcased at Aga Khan museum in Toronto, has urged the organisers to withdraw all provocative material.

Sharing the poster on her Twitter handle earlier, filmmaker Leena Manimekalai wrote, "Super thrilled to share the launch of my recent film - today at

@AgaKhanMuseum

as part of its “Rhythms of Canada” Link: https://torontomu.ca/cerc-migration/events/2022/07/under-the-tent-launch/… I made this performance doc as a cohort of https://torontomu.ca/cerc-migration/under-the-tent/…

@YorkuAMPD

@TorontoMet

@YorkUFGS

Feeling pumped with my CREW.

Check out the controversial poster of 'Kaali' here:

Super thrilled to share the launch of my recent film - today at @AgaKhanMuseum as part of its “Rhythms of Canada”
Link: https://t.co/RAQimMt7Ln

I 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

In a statement, the High Commission said that they have received complaints from leaders of the Hindu community in Canada about "disrespectful depiction of Hindu Gods on the poster of a film showcased as part of the 'Under the Tent' project at the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto."

"Our Consulate General in Toronto has conveyed these concerns to the organisers of the event," read the statement.

"We are also informed that several Hindu groups have approached authorities in Canada to take action. We urge the Canadian authorities and the event organizers to withdraw all such provocative material," it added.

As per an ANI tweet, UP government has registered an FIR on charges of criminal conspiracy, offense in place of worship, deliberately hurting religious sentiments, intention to provoke breach of peace against filmmaker Leena Manimekalai for her movie 'Kaali' about disrespectful depiction of Hindu Gods.

 

UP police register FIR on charges of criminal conspiracy, offense in place of worship, deliberately hurting religious sentiments, intention to provoke breach of peace against filmmaker Leena Manimekalai for her movie 'Kaali' about disrespectful depiction of Hindu Gods pic.twitter.com/YV97J23fcG

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) July 5, 2022

With inputs from IANS!