Canada’s Aga Khan Museum has issued a statement after the controversy over Leena Manimekalai’s Kaali after a poster of the film showing the goddess smoking sparked a big row online. The Indian High Commission in Ottawa had urged the Canadian authorities to take down all "provocative material" related to the film after it received complaints from leaders of the Hindu community in this country about the "disrespectful depiction of Hindu gods" on the poster of the documentary showcased.
In a statement published on its website, the museum issued an apology for hurting Hindu sentiments. The statement said that the Toronto Metropolitan University brought together works from students of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, with each student exploring their individual sense of belonging as part of Canadian multiculturalism for the project ‘Under the Tent.’
“Toronto Metropolitan University’s project presentation was hosted once at the Aga Khan Museum on July 2, 2022 in the context of the Museum’s mission to foster intercultural understanding and dialogue through the arts. Respect for diverse religious expressions and faith communities forms an integral part of that mission. The presentation is no longer being shown at the Museum,” the statement added.
“The Museum deeply regrets that one of the 18 short videos from ‘Under the Tent’ and its accompanying social media post have inadvertently caused offence to members of the Hindu and other faith communities,” the museum said.
Hours after the Aga Khan Museum made the announcement, Leena's tweet in which she shared the poster for Kaali was withheld from the platform. Twitter withheld the tweet on a request from the Union government, under the Informatin Technology Act. The tweet has only been withheld in India, and is still available for users in other countries.
The row erupted after Toronto-based filmmaker Leena Manimekalai had shared the poster of her documentary Kaali' on Twitter, which showed the goddess smoking and holding an LGBTQ flag in her hand. The poster led to a social media storm with the hashtag 'Arrest Leena Manimekalai', and allegations that the filmmaker was hurting religious sentiments. After a member of a group going by the name Gau Mahasabha' said he had filed a complaint with Delhi Police, an FIR was also registered against her.
The High Commission of India in Ottawa had said that it had received complaints from leaders of the Hindu community in Canada about the disrespectful depiction of Hindu Gods on the poster of the film showcased as part of the 'Under the Tent' project at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto.
“Our Consulate General in Toronto has conveyed these concerns to the organisers of the event. We are also informed that several Hindu groups have approached authorities in Canada to take action,” the statement read.
“We urge the Canadian authorities and the event organisers to withdraw all such provocative material,” it added.
Manimekalai, who was born in Madurai in Tamil Nadu, had said she will continue to use her voice fearlessly till she is alive.
"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 in a Twitter post in Tamil in response to an article on the controversy.
"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'," she added in reply to another article. Kaali is yet to be shown to Indian audiences.
With PTI inputs