Netflix has taken down a Tamil-language film, "Annapoorani - The Goddess of Food," from its platform following social media backlash.
The movie, which depicted the daughter of a Hindu priest consuming meat, received criticism from Hindus, the largest religious group in India, where priests and their families typically adhere to a vegetarian diet.
The film, initially released in theaters in December and later on Netflix, was unavailable on the streaming platform as of Thursday. Representatives from Netflix in India did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
Protesters from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), an organization linked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, demonstrated outside Netflix's Mumbai office on Wednesday, expressing discontent with the film. Shriraj Nair, a spokesperson for VHP, reported the protest on social media platform X.
The storyline revolves around the Hindu temple priest's daughter in Tamil Nadu who consumes meat and participates in a high-stakes cooking contest featuring meat dishes.
Ramesh Solanki, claiming to be the head of the "Hindu IT Cell," criticized the film on X, alleging that it was deliberately released to offend Hindu sentiments. Solanki stated that he had filed a complaint with Mumbai police, citing specific scenes as offensive to Hindus.
This incident adds to the ongoing tensions between streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon, and Disney, and right-wing groups in India.
In 2021, Amazon issued a rare apology for scenes in its series "Tandav" that faced legal challenges and complaints of disrespecting Hindu sentiments.
Despite such controversies, streaming services like Netflix and Amazon continue to gain popularity in India, projected to become a $7 billion market for the sector by 2027, according to Media Partners Asia.