Directed by Nilesh Krishnaa, “Annapoorani” made its theatrical debut on December 1, 2023. The film features Nayanthara in the lead role, alongside notable actors such as Jai and Sathyaraj, among others. Significantly, this marks Nilesh Krishnaa’s directorial debut and represents Nayanthara’s 75th film. The musical score for the movie is composed by Thaman. “Annapoorani” narrates the tale of Nayanthara, an aspiring woman trapped in the traditions of her conservative Brahmin family and town. Caught in the conflict between pursuing her culinary passion and adhering to orthodox principles instilled since childhood, Nayanthara, the daughter of a temple priest who cooks for Lord Rama, defies familial expectations by aspiring to become a chef where she has to cook meats as well. The movie was streamed on Netflix on 29th December 2024.
The movie, which had garnered substantial viewership and secured the second-highest position among Netflix features in India, faced an abrupt removal from the platform mere weeks after its initial streaming. The decision to take down the film came in the wake of an FIR (First Information Report) filed against its creators by an individual named Ramesh Solanki. The grounds for the complaint suggested that the film was perceived as a potential affront to Hindu religious beliefs.
I have filed complain against #AntiHinduZee and #AntiHinduNetflix
At a time when the whole world is rejoicing in anticipation of the Pran Pratishtha of Bhagwan Shri Ram Mandir, this anti-Hindu film Annapoorani has been released on Netflix, produced by Zee Studios, Naad Sstudios… pic.twitter.com/zM0drX4LMR
— Ramesh Solanki (Modi Ka Parivar) 🇮🇳 (@Rajput_Ramesh) January 6, 2024
Ramesh Solanki addressed himself as the Founder of Hindu IT Cell, social worker and Hindu activist. The allegations were directed at Nayanthara, Jai, Nilesh Krishna, as well as producers Jatin Sethi, R Ravindran, Punit Goenka, Shariq Patel (Chief Business Officer at Zee Studios), and Monika Shergill (Head of Netflix India).
He cited several instances in the movie that he deemed as derogatory to Hinduism. These include a scene where the daughter of a temple priest is portrayed offering Namaz while wearing a Hijab before preparing Biryani. The complainant alleged that the movie promotes the concept of Love Jihad, asserting that the Muslim lover of the actress manipulates her into cutting meat by suggesting that Lord Ram and Goddess Sita also consumed meat. Love Jihad is a conspiracy theory claiming that Muslim men pursue Hindu women for conversion to Islam through methods like seduction, feigned love, deception, kidnapping, and marriage. Furthermore, he pointed out a scene where the actress opts to go to her boyfriend’s place for Iftar, the breaking of the fast during Ramadan, instead of visiting the temple. The complainant highlighted visuals of the girl’s father engaged in the Sandhya ritual and her grandmother reciting prayers while intercut with their daughter consuming meat.
He stated, “The actress’s father is a temple priest making Bhog for Bhagwan Vishnu since 7 generations but his daughter shown to cook meat, fall in love with Muslim, goes for Ramzan Iftar and offers Namaz. A devout Hindu’s daughter, offering Namaz to cook Briyani and is supported by her Farhaan while quoting that Shri Ram was a meat eater, is done with sole intent to demean Hindus and Bhagwan Shri Ram”, in the complaint.
Following these allegations, Netflix took down “Annapoorani” from its platform on January 10. Subsequently, Zee Studios issued an apology to Vishwa Hindu Parishad and confirmed the removal of the film from the platform until it’s edited to remove the objectionable content.
We have no intentions as co-producers of the film to hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus and Brahmins community and would like to hereby apologise for the inconvenience caused and hurt caused to the sentiments of the respective communities.
The controversy surrounding the film has rapidly gained widespread attention, spreading across various social media platforms. The uproar has sparked intense discussions, with opinions being shared by users from diverse backgrounds. As the issue continues to reverberate in the virtual realm, the intersection of art, culture, and religious sensitivities remains a focal point of debate.
Source: Hindustan Times
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