Siddhant Mohite, Mumbai:
Nayanthara’s milestone 75th film, ‘Annapoorani: The Goddess of Food,’ has landed in hot water as an FIR has been filed against the movie by the Mumbai police. A complaint lodged at LT Marg Police Station alleges that the film promotes Love Jihad, citing a scene where actor Jai makes a controversial statement about Lord Ram’s dietary preferences, causing hurt to religious sentiments. This development comes after the movie’s digital premiere on Netflix faced criticism, with the Hindu IT Cell filing a formal complaint with Mumbai police, accusing the film of misrepresenting Valmiki’s Ramayana and criticizing Lord Ram.
Directed by Nilesh Krishnaa, ‘Annapoorani’ features Nayanthara, Jai, and Sathyaraj in lead roles, hitting theaters on December 1, 2023. Despite the movie’s milestone status, it received a lukewarm response at the box office, grossing Rs 5 crore.
According to reports from The Republic, the complaint alleges that a particular scene in the movie portrays actor Jai asserting that Lord Ram was a meat eater, leading to an offense against religious sentiments. The controversy intensified after the film’s digital release on the OTT platform Netflix.
The narrative of ‘Annapoorani: The Goddess of Food’ revolves around a girl aspiring to become a chef. As the daughter of a Hindu temple pujari, she faces challenges in preparing non-vegetarian food. The movie sparked controversy for a scene depicting her performing the Islamic prayer Namaz with a scarf covering her head before a cooking competition. Nayanthara’s character in the film recalls a friend’s comment that her Biryani tasted exceptional when prepared after performing Namaz. This scene has stirred controversy, as it is seen as offensive to religious sentiments.
Adding to the unfolding controversy is the fact that Netflix, a prominent OTT platform, chose to release ‘Annapoorani,’ despite its contentious content. This decision has raised eyebrows, especially in light of the platform’s refusal to release the movie ‘The Kerala Story,’ which exposed Love Jihad, further amplifying concerns within the Hindu community.
The Mumbai police’s decision to file an FIR against ‘Annapoorani’ reflects the seriousness of the allegations, and as this situation evolves, Mumbai Uncensored will continue to monitor and report on developments surrounding this controversial film.
