Amid Kaali poster row, banner surfaces in Kanyakumari showing Lord Shiva ‘lighting cigarette’

CHENNAI: Amid an ongoing row over the controversial poster of Canada-based Madurai-born Indian filmmaker Leena Manimekalai’s film Kaali, a poster has surfaced in Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari showing Lord Shiva ‘lighting cigarette’. The poster has been reportedly put up by a group of men to wish a friend of theirs who got married recently.

In the poster, which has now been removed by the local police, the images of the groom, Pratish, a resident of Arokiapuram in Kanyakumari district, and his wife were placed in the centre with images of God Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

Realizing the sensitivity of the issue, local police removed the banner immediately after receiving complaints from several Hindu outfits. The groom and his friends were also summoned by the police and released later after a warning.

This incident comes amid a growing uproar over a poster of Leena Manimekalai’s film Kaali in which a woman, dressed as Goddess Kali, is shown smoking and holding an LGBTQ flag. Several police complaints have been filed against the film director in this regard amid protests and demands for removing the controversial poster.

Under attack for the controversial poster, Manimekalai has said that she will continue to use her voice fearlessly till she is alive. The poster has led to a social media storm with the hashtag 'Arrest Leena Manimekalai', allegations that the filmmaker is hurting religious sentiments and a member of a group going by the name 'Gau Mahasabha' saying he has filed a complaint with Delhi Police.

In response to the attacks, the Toronto-based director hit back to say she was willing to pay with her life.