MUMBAI (Diya TV) — The Tamil-language film “Annapoorani: The Goddess of Food,” starring Nayanthara, faced severe criticism from Hindu groups, leading to its removal from Netflix. The movie, initially released in theaters on December 1, had smoothly played in South India but sparked controversy after streaming on Netflix from December 29.
The film follows the story of a girl from a traditional Hindu family aspiring to become India’s top chef, requiring her to learn to cook meat. Hindu activist Ramesh Solanki filed complaints against the film, describing it as “anti-Hindu” and criticizing its release during the period leading up to the consecration of the Lord Rama temple in Ayodhya.
Specific scenes, including one depicting Nayanthara’s character offering a Muslim prayer while wearing a Muslim headdress, fueled the backlash. Solanki also claimed the film promotes “Love jihad,” alleging that Nayanthara’s character is influenced to consume meat by her Muslim friend Farhan, played by Jai.
Zee Studios, one of the film’s co-producers, issued a letter apologizing to the Vishva Hindu Parishad and announced the film’s removal from Netflix until necessary edits are made. The production house expressed regret for any inconvenience caused and assured that they had no intention of hurting religious sentiments.
The controversy gained momentum on social media, with an FIR filed against the filmmakers in Madhya Pradesh. Ramesh Solanki shared the copy of the FIR on X, emphasizing the alleged anti-Hindu scenes and the timing of the film’s release.
