Kaali Poster Controversy: Filmmaker Leena Manimekalai summoned by Delhi Court
On the Kaali poster, a woman is seen wearing the Goddess Kaali's costume. In the image, she can be seen lighting up a cigarette.
FollowA Delhi court has summoned director Leena Manimekalai and given her notice of an injunction for August 6 about a poster for her documentary film that depicts a lady costumed as Goddess Kaali and smoking a cigarette. Manimekalai's business, Touring Talkies Media Private Limited, also received a summons and notice. The lawsuit's goal against Manimekalai is to prevent her from portraying the Hindu deity lighting up.
In a poster for her documentary film that Manimekalai published earlier this month, a lady decked up as Goddess Kaali can be seen puffing on a cigarette. The actor portraying the Goddess is also shown holding the pride flag for the LGBTQ+ community while holding a Trishul and a sickle.
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There was a widespread uproar over this, and many FIRs were filed against the director for hurting Hindus' religious feelings. Later, Manimekalai revealed that the subject of the film was a woman who was seen wandering the streets of Toronto, Canada.
Following the uproar over the Goddess' depiction on the movie poster, Twitter removed director Manimekalai's tweet about her documentary Kaali in response to "a legal demand." In response to the divisive poster, the Delhi Police and the Uttar Pradesh Police each filed a separate FIR against Manimekalai.
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Right-wing organisations that were offended by the billboard and filed several complaints against the director made her their target. The Aga Khan Museum in Canada pulled the documentary's showing as a result of the controversy over the poster and the accompanying demonstrations. Leena has been the target of death threats due to the unrest. The director insisted that she would not submit in a tweet.
The actress wrote, “These trolls are after my artistic freedom. If I give away my freedom fearing this mindless rightwing mob mafia, I will give away everyone’s freedom. So I will keep it, come what may.”
Leena Manimekalai is being sued in order to prevent her from portraying Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette. Additionally, it asks for a binding, permanent injunction against Manimekalai and others. Indian poet and filmmaker Manimekalai. She has produced twelve fiction and non-fiction films as well as five published poetry anthologies. The director has won a good deal of accolades at both national and international film festivals.
