The poster of a documentary film, titled Kaali, has reportedly sparked public outrage for showing an actress – looking like Goddess Kaali – smoking a cigarette.

Social media users slammed the maker of the film after the poster surfaced online. The actress was seen all decked up, looking like Goddess Kaali. She was seen with a cigarette in her hand. The poster also showed the Goddess with a backdrop of the LGBTQ+ community’s flag, also known as the pride flag.

Twitter users called out the director Leena Manimekalai for the wrongful depiction of the Goddess.

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The Madurai-born, Toronto-based filmmaker wrote on her Twitter account earlier saying.

“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.

The poster did not go down well with a section of social media users who demanded it be withdrawn. The hashtag ‘#ArrestLeenaManimekal’ started trending for a while.

“Leena Manimekalai a filmmaker portraying Hindu God as cigarettes smokers. She is Insulting Maa Kaali,” one user wrote.

“I demand the arrest of leena Manimekalai. We won’t tolerate the disrespect of our GODDESS KAALI MAA.We all the way of tamil government this time. @beingarun28@TheDeepak2022#ArrestLeenaManimekalai,” another said.

“I’m raising voice for arrest of a anti-hindu filmmaker Leena Manimekalai for portraying Hindu God as cigarette smoker.Hurting Hindu sentiments is not a right given by SC. We are not tolerate any more..!#ArrestLeenaManimekalai,” a third user wrote.

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After being slammed on social media, the director restricted comments on her Instagram.

“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.

She added in reply to another article: “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”.”