Netflix has removed the film “Annapoorani – The Goddess of Food” from its platform in response to social media backlash for depicting the daughter of a Hindu priest consuming meat. Hindus, which are India’s largest religious group, typically adhere to a vegetarian diet, including Hindu priests and their families.
The movie was initially released in theaters in December and subsequently on Netflix later the same month.
On Wednesday, members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad—an organization affiliated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party—protested outside Netflix’s Mumbai office, expressing discontent with the film. The storyline portrays the daughter of a Hindu temple priest in Tamil Nadu consuming meat and participating in a high-stakes cooking competition where she prepares meat dishes.
Ramesh Solanki, self-identified as the head of the “Hindu IT Cell,” alleged that the film was deliberately released to offend Hindu sentiments.
Netflix, along with Amazon and Disney, has frequently faced criticism from right-wing groups in India, a major global streaming market.
Netflix and Amazon have gained immense popularity in India, and are projected to reach a $7 billion market value by 2027, according to Media Partners Asia.