Kaali poster row: After Indian High Commission's complaint, Canada's Aga Khan Museum issues apology, removes documentary

In the apology letter, the museum said: “Toronto Metropolitan University brought together works 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.’"

Toronto Metropolitan University’s project presentation was hosted once at the Aga Khan Museum on July 2, 2022 in the context of the Museum’s mission to foster intercultural understanding and dialogue through the arts, the museum said.

"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 Museum deeply regrets 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 faith communities,” the letter read.

The Indian High Commission in Canada had on Monday urged the Canadian authorities and the event organizers to withdraw "all such provocative material".

The Indian Mission in Toronto noted that it had received complaints from leaders of the Hindu community in Canada about the disrespectful depiction of Hindu Gods on the poster of a film showcased as part of the ‘Under the Tent project at the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto.”

The row erupted after filmmaker Leena Manimekalai shared the poster of the film on social media, depicting a woman dressed as Hindu Goddess Kali. She is seen smoking a cigarette and holding the LGBTQ+ community's pride flag in one of her four hands apart from the goddess's usual accouterments of trishul (trident), and sickle.