Kaali: Row over Hindu Goddess smoking in film poster, case filed against director Leena Manimekalai

A Delhi-based lawyer on Monday filed a police complaint against Director Leena Manimekalai over a controversial poster of her new documentary. The said the controversial poster was shared by Manimekalai on social media on July 2. In the poster, Goddess Kaali has been shown smoking a cigarette.

It has sparked a massive uproar on social media with demands to arrest the director trending on Twitter. According to a Tamil news portal, Manimekalai said that the documentary revolves around the events that take place one evening when Goddess Kali appears and strolls on the streets of Toronto.

"The Director has hurt my religious sentiments by showing Goddess Kali smoking which is highly objectionable and not acceptable in any manner," Jindal told IANS.

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

Demanding an immediate registration of an FIR against the independent director, Jindal said that such a deplorable picture in the context to the Hindu Goddess is extremely outrageous, atrocious and hurting the sentiments and belief of Hindu community.

"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," the complaint filed with the Cyber Cell of Delhi Police read.

The lawyer further said that the objectionable video clip and photo must be banned and removed from the internet on immediate basis considering the defamatory impact and enrage it would cause to Hindus as it has disparaged the religious beliefs of a particular community.