Filmmaker Leena Manimekalai, who faced widespread flak and police cases for depicting Hindu goddess Kaali in an objectionable manner for her documentary, on Friday shared news of her grandmother's death and described how she could not "kiss her a goodbye" because of the FIRs filed against her.
Sharing a post on Facebook, Manimekalai called her grandmother Rajeswari "a binding force for the family", and said, "An abode of compassion, love and patience. I don't understand why I am alive when I can't even kiss her a farewell.”
“I am stuck in Toronto because I am a “criminal” according to the Indian Government that has booked me in nine FIRs and issued a “look out circular” to arrest me in the airport itself - all for a film poster.”
With the post, Manimekalai shared a picture of her and her grandmother before the filmmaker left for Canada. “I interviewed her for my thesis film, ‘ Kaathadi’. She had promised to attend my graduation and the premiere of my thesis film. But life proves to be cruel once again. Avva, my grandmother Rajeswari, stopped breathing,” Manimekalai said.
“Three days ago, Avva has told my amma that, I would win all the cases. She whispered “love you, muah” in my last video call with her. Maybe I am alive to live her wish. I am Kali. My avva is Kali’s mother. We can be defeated but not be destroyed,” she further wrote.
{{/usCountry}}“Three days ago, Avva has told my amma that, I would win all the cases. She whispered “love you, muah” in my last video call with her. Maybe I am alive to live her wish. I am Kali. My avva is Kali’s mother. We can be defeated but not be destroyed,” she further wrote.
{{/usCountry}}Leena Manimekalai's poster and promo video of her documentary “Kaali” showed the Hindu goddess smoking a cigarette. Leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and several Hindu priests have strongly objected to the documentary's poster, seeking action against the filmmaker.