Hours after the poster of director Leena Manimekalai’s upcoming documentary film Kaali stirred a massive controversy with its derogatory depiction of Hindu Goddess Kaali, a special cell unit of Delhi Police has registered an FIR against the makers. The poster, which was unveiled on Monday, July 4, showed Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette.
Additionally, the Uttar Pradesh police have also lodged an FIR against Leena on charges of criminal conspiracy, offence in a place of worship, deliberately hurting religious sentiments and intention to provoke breach of peace.
“An FIR pertaining to hurting of religious sentiments has been registered against the director of film Kaali, Leena Manimekalai, the producer & editor of the film after a written complaint against the film makers was filed by a Lucknow based advocate,” said Aparna Kaushik, DCP Central Lucknow.
“The FIR registered at Lucknow’s Hazratganj police station has been filed citing the poster of the movie ‘Kaali’ on social media where the actor playing the role of the goddess is seen smoking a cigarette,” he added.
Earlier, a Delhi-based lawyer is said to have filed a police complaint against the filmmaker, accusing her of hurting religious sentiments with the outrageous poster. Media reports have it that the lawyer demanded a ban on the objectionable picture, saying that it is offensive to the Hindu community.
The complaint, which was filed with the Cyber Cell of Delhi Police, reportedly read, “This deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of Hindu Community through highly objectionable video and photo from her twitter account by the accused which is well circulated in social media and all public platforms is an offence under section 295A ,298, 505, 67 I.T Act and 34 IPC and therefore penal action should be taken against the accused.”
Shortly after receiving massive backlash, Leena took to her Twitter to address the controversy. She wrote, “The film revolves around the events that take place one evening, when Kali appears and strolls the streets of Toronto. If you see the picture, don’t put the hashtag ‘arrest Leena manimekalai’ and put the hashtag ‘love you Leena manimekalai’.”
Meanwhile, the Indian High Commission in Ottawa, Canada, raised objections over the documentary film. In a statement, they said that complaints were received from leaders of the Hindu community in Canada regarding the “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”.
