New Delhi: Nayanthara-starrer Annapoorani: The Goddess of Food has been pulled off streaming portal Netflix following protests about its suggestion that Hindu deity Ram was a meat-eater.
Directed by Nilesh Krishnaa, the movie was released in theatres on 1 December and began streaming on Netflix on 29 December.
VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal told ThePrint that the movie was taken off Netflix after the organisation’s complaint to the director Tuesday.
He also said they had received an apology from Zee Entertainment Enterprises, and shared on X the response they had received from the studio, which co-produced the movie.
“See how the Annapoorani movie, which called Shri Ram a ‘non-vegetarian’, was removed from Netflix. Look at what is happening in this country of Lord Shri Ram!! Zee Studios have apologised on the complaint filed by the VHP,” he said on X.
“It is important to wake up on time and it is important to prevent attacks on the Hindu faith,” he added.
In its letter, Zee said they were in “the process of coordinating with our co-producers M/s. Trident Arts to undertake requisite actions to address your concerns in relation to the said film and also with Netflix to immediately remove the film from their platform until edited”.
“We have no intentions as co-producers of the film to hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindus and Brahmins community and would like to hereby apologise for the inconvenience caused and hurt caused to the sentiments of the respective communities,” it added.
Annapoorani seeks to depict the story of a temple cook’s daughter who defies her family to make non-vegetarian food in the pursuit of a career as a chef.
VHP spokesperson Shriraj Nair, who is also the joint secretary of its Konkan unit, which sent the complaint, said in a post on X that they were “happy that Zee studios have realised their mistakes”.
“Please note we have never ever interfered in the creative freedom of any film but Hindu bashing and mocking will never be tolerated,” he added.
A protest was also organised by the Maharashtra unit of the VHP against the movie.
The VHP’s complaint said the “film contains scenes, verse and dialogues that attribute false and contradictory statements to Lord Ram, suggesting that he consumed flesh of animals during his 14 years of exile”.
“This portrayal not only disrespects the deeply cherished beliefs of millions but also spreads misinformation about revered figures from Hindu,” it added, saying “such content… has the potential to create social unrest”.
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)
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