Friday, March 29, 2024

I have nothing to lose: Leena Manimekalai on Hindutva handles’ hate campaign over ‘KAALI’ poster

A poster for the documentary “KAALI” by filmmaker Leena Manimekalai has sparked a hate campaign against the filmmaker on social media by Hindutva handles over the way it shows Goddess Kali.

Manimekalai had shared the poster of her film on Saturday. The poster shows a woman dressed like Goddess Kali and smoking. A flag of the LGBT community also is seen in the background.

The film was part of the “Rhythms of Canada” segment at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto. Manimekalai, who was born in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai is based in Toronto now.

“Super thrilled to share the launch of my recent film – today at @AgaKhanMuseum as part of its ‘Rhythms of Canada’. Feeling pumped with my CREW,” Leena tweeted on Saturday.

https://twitter.com/LeenaManimekali/status/1543200394477805568?s=20&t=73_dxMHiPQ97ulNryOfiDg

As several Twitter handles belonging to Hindu nationalist parties slammed the poster, the hashtag #ArrestLeenaManimekal trended on Twitter.

Some even issued death and rape threats to the filmmaker.

“I have nothing to lose. I want to be with a voice that speaks without fear of anything until it is. If the price is my life, I will give it,” Leena Manimekalai tweeted in Hindi on Monday.

“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’,” she further wrote.

Manimekalai has been accused in a police complaint of hurting religious sentiments. In a complaint to the Delhi Police and the Home Ministry, Ajay Gautam, who heads the “Gau Mahasabha”, a Hindu militant group, has called for an FIR against the filmmaker and a ban on the film. Details about the complaint are awaited.

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