My Kaali is queer, destroys capitalism, says filmmaker Leena Manimekalai amid poster row

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, July 08, 2022: Amid the escalating controversy over the poster of the film ’Kaali’, filmmaker Leena Manimekalai shot off a fresh tweet on Friday. Leena Manimekalai, who is caught in the eye of a storm as outrage grows over the poster of her movie, said that ’My Kaali is queer. She is a free spirit. She spits at the patriarchy.’

 

The filmmaker further said, referring to Goddess Kaali, ’She dismantles Hindutva. She destroys capitalism, She embraces everyone with all her thousand hands.’

Taking to her official Twitter handle, Leena Manimekalai wrote, "My Kaali is queer. She is a free spirit. She spits at the patriarchy. She dismantles Hindutva. She destroys capitalism, She embraces everyone with all her thousand hands." (sic).

A massive controversy erupted after filmmaker Leena Manimekalai shared the poster of the film on social media. The poster depicts a woman dressed in the costume of Goddess Kaali. She is seen smoking a cigarette in the photo. Along with her usual accoutrements of trishul (trident) and sickle, the actor playing the goddess is shown wielding the LGBTQ+ community’s pride flag.

Multiple FIRs have now been filed across India against Leena Manimekalai for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus.

On Thursday, Manimekalai tweeted a photo that shows two people smoking while dressed in the costumes of Lord Shiva and a Hindu goddess. She has succinctly captioned the photo “Elsewhere”. The photo has striking similarities to the controversial image on the poster of Kaali.

Though Manimekalai said the documentary was about a woman strolling in the streets of Canada’s Toronto, several right-wing groups took offence and multiple complaints were lodged against her, which finally led to Canada’s Aga Khan Museum removing the presentation of the documentary.

Courtesy: India Today