Kaali poster row: Supreme Court temporarily protects filmmaker Leena Manimekalai from coercive action in FIRs

The Supreme Court on Friday temporarily protected filmmaker Leena Manimekalai from coercive action on the basis of First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against her for depicting Hindu Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette in a poster of her upcoming film. [Leena Manimekalai v. Union of India].A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud listed the matter for February 20, 2023 and directed that in the meantime, no coercive steps shall be taken against Manimekalai.The Court determined that multiple FIRs in several States would cause serious prejudice to Manimekalai and directed that they be clubbed together, after which she could approach the relevant High Court for quashing the case under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure..Manimekalai has moved the Supreme Court seeking protection in the multiple cases registered against her for depicting Hindu Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette in a poster of her upcoming film.Appearing for the filmmaker, Advocate Kamini Jaiswal stated that several FIRs were lodged in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakahand, and in Delhi as a result of which she was likely to be subjected to coercive proceedings in same case in different states.The plea sought a direction to quash all the nine FIRs registered against her in connection with the same.The filmmaker also said that she received open calls for violence against herself, her crew and her family, after she tweeted a poster of her film Kaali. She argued in her plea that she has tried to project "the goddess as radically inclusive and kind in her short performance documentary where she is performing as the goddess Kaali". The plea further stated that the film poster revealed that her intention was to project the inclusive traits of the goddess she grew up with, through her artistic expression. She, therefore, sought a stay on all proceedings against her and quashing of the cases against her. She also prayed for action against those who issued threats of murder and rape on social media..Advocates Kamini Jaiswal and Indira Unninayar appeared for the petitioner. The plea was drafted and filed by Unninayar who has represented Leena and won her previous cases against the CBFC ban on Sengadal, and refusal of certification to Maadathy..[Read order]