Nusrat Jahan reacts to Leena Manimekalai’s Kaali poster row: ‘I would never mix creativity and religion’

Bengali actor Nusrat Jahan shared her thoughts around the controversial poster of the documentary film Kaali directed by Leena Manimekalai. It shows a woman dressed as Goddess Kali smoking a cigarette. Some people have objected to the poster, saying it hurts their religious sentiments. Reacting to the same, Nusrat said that she would personally never hurt anyone’s religious sentiments. (Also read: Kaali poster row: India urges Canada to withdraw provocative material)

Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh Police registered an FIR against three– Leena Manimekalai, associate producer Asha, and editor Shravan Onachan, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and as many as two sections of the IT (Amendment) Act 2008. Besides this, another case against the Madurai-born and Toronto-based director had also been filed in Delhi for allegedly insulting Hindu sentiments.

Talking about the row, Nusrat told India Today, “Let’s not pull religion again and make it saleable. It’s good to sit in your home and watch this masala. Look, I have always supported creativity and individuality. Having said that, I also believe religious sentiments shouldn’t be hurt. If you are coming up with something creative, you decide and then take responsibility for your own actions as well. As far as I am concerned, I would never hurt anyone’s religious sentiments or mix creativity and religion.”

Back in 2020, Nusrat had faced severe backlash for a photoshoot of hers. Dressed in a red and gold saree, she was seen holding a Trishul in one hand as she posed for the camera, dressed as Durga. She was heavily criticised by social media users and even received death threats for posing as a Hindu deity while being a Muslim.

The documentary film was part of the Rhythms of Canada segment at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto and was screened there on Sunday. The Indian high commission in Canada now requested authorities to remove the ‘disrespectful depiction of Hindu Gods’ from the Toronto-based museum. Certain Hindu groups have also complained to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the controversial poster of the film.