Nayanthara’s Film ‘Annapoorani’ Removed from Netflix Amidst Controversy Over Alleged Religious Insensitivity

Nayanthara’s latest film, ‘Annapoorni: The Goddess of Food,’ faced turbulence and was pulled down from Netflix following allegations of religious insensitivity. Directed by Nilesh Krishnaa, the movie, which initially hit theaters on December 1, 2023, started streaming on Netflix on December 29, but soon found itself at the center of a controversy.

Activist Ramesh Solanki filed an FIR against the film’s makers, including Nayanthara, Jai, Nilesh Krishna, and producers Jatin Sethi, R Ravindran, and Punit Goenka, accusing the film of being ‘anti-Hindu’ and promoting ‘Love Jihad.’ The controversy arose from depictions of Lord Ram as a meat eater and scenes that allegedly hurt religious sentiments, such as a Hindu Poojari’s daughter offering Namaz to cook Biryani.

In response to the escalating controversy, Netflix removed ‘Annapoorni’ from its platform on January 10. Zee Studios, the production house, issued an apology to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, assuring that the film would be withheld from the platform until objectionable content is edited out.

Zee Studios’ official statement expressed regret, stating, “We have no intentions as co-producers of the film to hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus and the Brahmin community and would like to hereby apologize for the inconvenience caused.”

‘Annapoorni’ narrates the story of an ambitious woman torn between passion and traditional values, facing challenges in pursuing her dreams while adhering to orthodox ideals. Starring Nayanthara, Jai, Sathyaraja, Achyuth Kumar, KS Ravikumar, Karthik Kumar, and Renuka, the film delves into the complexities of navigating cultural expectations.

The controversy has sparked discussions on social media and led to protests outside Netflix’s headquarters by members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad, demanding the film’s removal.