(This article is authored by Alar)
The star of the controversial film ‘Annapoorani: The Goddess of Food’, Nayanthara, has finally broken her silence and apologised for hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus. The film, which was released on Netflix last week, was met with fierce criticism and legal action from some Hindu organisations, who accused it of mocking Hindu deities and promoting ‘love jihad’.
In a lengthy Instagram post, Nayanthara expressed her regret and said that she and her team never intended to offend anyone. She said that the film was a sincere attempt to share a positive message about women empowerment and food security, but it may have inadvertently caused hurt.
She wrote, "In our sincere attempt to share a positive message, we may have inadvertently caused hurt. We did not expect the removal of a censored film, previously showcased in theatres, from the OTT platform. My team and I never intended to hurt anyone's sentiments and we understand that the gravity of this issue. Being someone who wholely believes in God and frequently visits temples across the country, it is the last thing I would intentionally do,"
"To those whose feelings we've touched, I extend my sincere and heartfelt apologies.The intention behind 'Annapoorni' was to uplift and inspire, not to cause distress Over the last two decades, my journey in the film industry has been guided with a singular intention - To spread positivity & foster learning from one another," she added.
The apology came after Ramesh Solanki, a former Shiv Sena leader and the Hindutva organisation Vishva Hindu Parishad, filed a complaint against the film at the Mumbai police station. He alleged that the film was offensive to Hinduism and supported ‘love jihad’. He demanded that the film be banned and the makers be arrested. Similarly, an FIR was also filed against the film in Madhya Pradesh, where the complainants claimed that the film disrespected Lord Ram and promoted ‘love jihad’ through the movie.
‘Annapoorani’ is a film about a Brahmin girl who loves cooking and dreams of becoming a chef, but faces resistance from her orthodox family and society. She meets a Muslim boy who supports her passion and helps her achieve her goals. The film stars Nayanthara, Jai, Sathyaraj, and Reddin Kingsley in the lead roles, and is directed by Nilesh Krishnaa.
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