New Delhi:
Canada-based filmmaker Leena Manimekalai – facing cases in India and threats across social media for a poster of her documentary ‘Kaali’ – has said, “I do not feel safe anywhere at this moment.”
Ms Manimekalai, born in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai and now living in Toronto, tweeted some bits of what she told a news outlet, particularly a portion referencing India’s trajectory over the past few years. “It feels like the whole nation – that has now deteriorated from the largest democracy to the largest hate machine – wants to censor me,” she posted.
The poster that sparked the controversy shows a woman dressed like Goddess Kali and smoking. A rainbow flag used for LGBT solidarity is seen in the background. The tweet that carried that poster has since been removed by Twitter.
She had earlier said, “I have nothing to lose,” as she faced trolling and complaints were made against her to police and the Home Ministry in India.
“I want to be with a voice that speaks without fear of anything until it is. If the price is my life, I will give it,” she had tweeted in response to social media attacks.