Leena Manimekalai Is Ready To Pay With Her Life As People Demand Arrest Over 'Kaali' Poster

"Will the Supreme Court which blamed #NupurSharma for the killing of #kanahiyalal now take up this case of a filmmaker who has abused #HinduGoddess (Maa Kaali) and put her behind bars. Will the begums of #UrbanNaxal gang & #Lutyensmedia condemn this. #ArrestLeenaManimekalai."

People demand Leena Manimekalai's arrest

This is what filmmaker Ashoke Pandit has tweeted demanding the arrest of director Leena Manimekalai for her movie Kaali's poster shows Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette. He is not the only one. There are several people demanding her arrest for hurting religious sentiments. They say mocking of deities will not be tolerated.

Twitter

Nusrat Jahan reacts to Kaali poster row

Actress turned politician Nusrat Jahan who had herself faced a similar controversy when she dressed up as Goddess Durga for a photoshoot said that religious sentiments should be hurt.

Where are Secular Flag Bearers?

Nusrat Jahan gets death threats for posing like Ma Durga.

Nusrat Jahan, an ex-Muslim, now a Hindu woman was called Kafir lady for posing like Ma Durga. This shows the true mentality of Muslim Fringes and their Ganga Jamuni Tehzib. pic.twitter.com/cZDMInoXma

¡ª Anupal Das (@TheIndiaanMonk) September 29, 2020

"Let¡¯s not pull religion again and make it saleable. It¡¯s good to sit in your home and watch this masala. Look, I have always supported creativity and individuality. Having said that, I also believe religious sentiments shouldn¡¯t be hurt. If you are coming up with something creative, you decide and then take responsibility for your own actions as well. As far as I am concerned, I would never hurt anyone¡¯s religious sentiments or mix creativity and religion," she said.

Leena Manimekalai defends smoking Kaali poster

Reacting to the uproar, here is what filmmaker Leena Manimekalai said in her defense. The Toronto-based filmmaker said that she is ready 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," Manimekalai wrote on Twitter.

¡°?????? ?????????? ???????????. ????????? ??? ???????? ???????? ?????????? ?????? ??????? ?????????? ??????????????. ?????? ???? ??? ????? ???? ??????? ??????¡± https://t.co/fEU3sWY4HK

¡ª Leena Manimekalai (@LeenaManimekali) July 4, 2022

??? ????????????, ???????? ?????????? ???? ?????? ????????? ??? ????????? ??????? ?????????? ???? ????. ???????????????? ¡°arrest leena manimekalai¡± hashtag ????? ¡°love you leena manimekalai¡± hashtag ?????????.?? https://t.co/W6GNp3TG6m

¡ª Leena Manimekalai (@LeenaManimekali) July 4, 2022

In another tweet, she wrote, "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".

Indian High Commission in Canada has also sought removal of the Kaali poster

In a statement, the High Commission said that they have received complaints from leaders of the Hindu community in Canada about "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."

"Our Consulate General in Toronto has conveyed these concerns to the organisers of the event," read the statement.

Please see a Press Released issued by @HCI_Ottawa @MEAIndia @IndianDiplomacy @PIB_India @DDNewslive @IndiainToronto @cgivancouver pic.twitter.com/DGjQynxYJS

¡ª India in Canada (@HCI_Ottawa) July 4, 2022

"We are also informed that several Hindu groups have approached authorities in Canada to take action. We urge the Canadian authorities and the event organizers to withdraw all such provocative material," it added.

The controversy erupted after filmmaker Leena Manimekalai shared the poster of the film on social media that depicts a woman dressed as Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette in the poster.

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