Under attack for a poster of her documentary Kaali showing the goddess smoking and holding an LGBTQIA+ flag, filmmaker Leena Manimekalai on Monday said that she will continue to use her voice fearlessly as long as she is alive. The poster has led to a social media storm with the hashtag 'Arrest Leena Manimekalai', allegations that the filmmaker is hurting religious sentiments and a member of a group called Gau Mahasabha saying that he has filed a complaint with Delhi Police.
In response to the attacks, the Toronto-based director hit back to say she was willing to pay with her life. "I have nothing to lose. Till the time I live, I wish to live with a voice that speaks what I believe without fear. If the price for that is my life, it can be given," Leena wrote in a Twitter post in Tamil in response to an article on the controversy.
The Madurai-born filmmaker had shared the poster of Kaali on the microblogging site on Saturday and said that the film was part of the 'Rhythms of Canada' segment at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto. She also urged people to watch the film to understand the context behind the poster.
“எனக்கு இழப்பதற்கு ஒன்றுமில்லை. இருக்கும் வரை எதற்கும் அஞ்சாமல் நம்புவதைப் பேசும் குரலோடு இருந்துவிட விரும்புகிறேன். அதற்கு விலை என் உயிர் தான் என்றால் தரலாம்” https://t.co/fEU3sWY4HK
— Leena Manimekalai (@LeenaManimekali) July 4, 2022
"The film is about the events during Kaali's strolls through the streets of Toronto city one fine evening. If they watch the movie, they will put the hashtag 'love you Leena Manimekalai' rather than 'Arrest Leena Manimekalai'," she added in reply to another article.
ஒரு மாலைப்பொழுது, டோரோண்டோ மாநகரத்தில காளி தோன்றி வீதிகளில் உலா வரும்போது நடக்கிற சம்பவங்கள் தான் படம். படத்தைப்பார்த்தா “arrest leena manimekalai” hashtag போடாம “love you leena manimekalai” hashtag போடுவாங்க.✊ https://t.co/W6GNp3TG6m
— Leena Manimekalai (@LeenaManimekali) July 4, 2022
Ajay Gautam, a member of the Gau Mahasabha, sent reporters a copy of his police complaint against the filmmaker for allegedly presenting the goddess in a "derogatory and offensive manner" thereby hurting "religious sentiments of millions of devotees including the complainant".
However, a senior police officer from the Cyber Cell told PTI that they are yet to receive the complaint.
Meanwhile, several Twitter users slammed Leena for the poster. "The film depicts Maa Kali smoking a cigarette in a very objectionable form!! Very embarrassing!! Hindu Sena demands from @DelhiPolice to register an FIR against @LeenaManimekali," tweeted Hindu Sena national president Vishnu Gupta.
Leena, who made her feature directorial debut with 2021's Maadathy - An Unfairy Tale, isn't the first filmmaker to find herself in trouble over religious references.
In 2017, filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan courted controversy over the title of his Malayalam film Sexy Durga, which explored religious divides in Kerala society. The film was later rechristened S Durga.
Last year, Prime Video's political saga Tandav was at the centre of trouble for a scene depicting Lord Shiva in a college theatre programme. The scene was eventually dropped and the streamer issued an unconditional apology.
Kaali is yet to be shown to Indian audiences.