Director Leena Manimekalai Lands In Controversy For Movie Poster Showcasing Goddess Kaali Smoking

A cover poster for a documentary by filmmaker Leena Manimekalai is receiving a lot of flak on social media 'for hurting religious sentiments' over a questionable depiction of Goddess Kaali.

Manimekalai, who is a Madurai-born Toronto-based filmmaker, had previously taken to the microblogging site Twitter and shared the poster of her film 'Kaali', which portrayed a woman dressed in an outfit depicting the goddess and smoking. Furthermore, a flag of the LGBT community can also be seen in the background.

The film was also part of the "Rhythms of Cananda" segment during the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, as per a tweet by the filmmaker herself.

Part Of 'Rhythms Of Canada'

"Super thrilled to share the launch of my recent film - today at @AgaKhanMuseumas part of its 'Rhythms of Canada'. Feeling pumped with my CREW," Leena wrote on Twitter.

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

Reaction To The Poster!

The depiction of Goddess Kaali on the cover did not go down well among a section of netizens, who have called for the poster to be withdrawn. Many also called for strict action against the director, and the hashtag '#ArrestLeenaManimekalai' also became trending on Twitter.

After facing massive flak on social media platforms, Leena has now restricted comments on her Instagram account as well.

Reacting to the outrage and the controversy around her documentary, Leena took to Twitter and wrote in Tamil: "The film revolves around the events that take place one evening when Kali appears and strolls the streets of Toronto. If you see the picture, don't put the hashtag "arrest Leena manimekalai" but put the hashtag "love you Leena manimekalai"."

"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

She also added that she has nothing to lose, and until she is alive, she wishes to live with a voice that points out what she believes without fear.

Manimekalai made her feature directorial debut in 2021 with 'Maadathy - An Unfairy Tale' and is not the first filmmaker to find herself in trouble over religious references.

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