Guwahati: Netflix has taken down the Tamil film ‘Annapoorani‘ following a controversy sparked by Hindu right-wing groups who claimed certain scenes in the movie hurt religious sentiments.
The producers, Zee5, issued an apology to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), an affiliate of the right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), stating, “We apologize for the inconvenience and hurt caused to the Hindu and Brahmin communities.”
In the letter of apology, Zee5 mentioned collaborating with co-producers Trident Arts to edit the film before re-releasing it on Netflix. Despite having received clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) after a theatrical release in Tamil Nadu last December, the film faced objections over its portrayal of a Brahmin woman (Nayanthara) who becomes a top chef, including scenes depicting her eating and cooking meat and her friendship with a Muslim character (Jai).
The Hindu right-wing groups alleged that the film’s narrative, along with a dialogue implying that the Hindu god Ram consumed meat, offended their religious sentiments. An FIR was filed on January 8 against lead actors Nayanthara and Jai, writer-director Nilesh Krishnaa, producers Jatin Sethi, R Ravindran, and Punit Goenka, Zee Studios Chief Business Officer Shariq Patel, and Netflix India’s head Monika Shergill. The FIR, lodged in Mumbai, stemmed from a complaint filed by Ramesh Solanki, founder of the Hindu IT Cell.
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