Leena Manimekalai
Amid massive outrage over a controversial poster of filmmaker Leena Manimekalai’s documentary “Kaali”, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Tuesday said he would direct the police to register an FIR in the matter. A controversy erupted after a Toronto-born filmmaker shared a poster of ‘Kaali’ on Twitter on Saturday, which allegedly insulted the goddess. The poster shows Devi smoking and holding an LGBTQ flag.
Mishra also said that banning documentaries in MP will also be considered. Mishra said, ‘It is quite objectionable to show our Kali Mata smoking a cigarette in the documentary film ‘Kaali’. I will direct the police to register an FIR in this matter. Banning the film in Madhya Pradesh will also be considered. from journalists.
He said that strict legal action will be taken if the poster of the film is not taken back immediately. “Why does Manimekalai make a documentary on our gods? Can she dare to make documentaries on other religions? It is objectionable,” said Mishra. Read also: ‘Black’ poster: Indian High Commission in Canada demands removal, says ‘withdraw inflammatory content’
Notably, Delhi Police and Uttar Pradesh Police have filed separate FIRs against Manimekalai.
The filmmaker, who has faced criticism over the film’s poster, on Monday said that as long as she is alive, she will continue to use her voice boldly. He wrote in a tweet in Tamil, “I have nothing to lose. As long as I am alive, I want to live with a voice that speaks of my faith without fear. If it costs my life repays, it may be given.” In response to an article on the dispute. Read also: Who is Leena Manimekalai? Why is his film poster depicting Goddess Kali being criticized?
He also urged people to watch the film to understand the context behind the poster. “The film is about the events of one evening during Kali’s walk on the streets of downtown Toronto. If they watch the film, they will use the hashtag ‘Love you Leena Manimekalai’ instead of ‘Arrest Leena Manimekalai’.”