Kaali poster row: Canada’s Aga Khan Museum regrets hurting Hindu sentiments

New Delhi, July 6

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Days after India asked Canada to remove provocative material from the poster of the documentary ‘Kaali’ showcased as part of a film festival hosted by Toronto’s Aga Khan Museum, the Museum on Wednesday offered deep regrets for causing offence to Hindus and said the presentation was no longer being shown at the Museum.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Museum said, “We deeply regret that one of the 18 short videos from Under the Tent and its accompanying social media post have inadvertently caused offence to members of the Hindu and other communities.”

The Museum said the Toronto Metropolitan University had brought the works together from students of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, each student exploring their individual sense of belonging as part of Canadian multiculturalism for the project ‘Under the Tent’.

The University project presentation was hosted once at the Aga Khan Museum on July 2 in the context of the Museum’s mission to foster intercultural understanding through the arts.

“Respect for diverse religious expressions and faith communities forms an integral part of that mission. The presentation is no longer being shown at the Museum,” the institute’s statement said.

On July 4, following complaints from the leaders of the Hindu community in Canada about “disrespectful depiction of Hindu gods on the poster of a film showcased as part of a film festival at Aga Khan Museum, Toronto, the Indian High commission in Canada had urged the organisers to withdraw all provocative material.

In a statement here, the Indian High commission in Canada while referring to complaints in respect of objectionable depiction of Goddess Kali on the poster of a documentary ‘Kaali’ by Toronto-based filmmaker Leena Manimekalai had said, “Our Consulate General in Toronto has conveyed the concerns to the organisers of the event. We are also informed that several Hindu groups have approached authorities in Canada to take action. We urge the Canadian authorities and the event organisers to withdraw all such provocative material.”

The film is being showcased at the ‘Under the Tent’ project at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto.

Responding to criticism, Menamekalai said she had nothing to lose. “Till the time I live I wish to live with the voice that speaks what I believe without fear. If the price for that is my life it can be given,” Leena wrote in a Twitter post in Tamil.