Netflix removes movie after scene receives backlash from religious viewers

Netflix has been forced to remove a movie from its streaming platform after receiving backlash from religious viewers.

If you're a subscriber to Netflix - and let's face it, who's not - then you'll know it can be difficult to know what to put on.

Scrolling through each category and finding something to watch is never easy, there are too many shows and films to choose from after all.

One particular movie that was available on Netflix is making the headlines for all the wrong reasons, as it has received backlash in large parts of India and the rest of the world.

Annapoorani: the Goddess of Food tells the story of a young woman of the Brahmin caste. Her father cooks food in a Hindu temple while she has ambitions to become one of India’s best chefs in the future.

An official synopsis adds: "The daughter of a temple cook goes against her family's wishes to make non-vegetarian food to prove she's a talented chef in her own right."

Hindu groups have since accused the film's makers of offending religious sentiments.

The young woman is shown cooking and eating meat, traditionally not eaten by Brahmins, Hindu priests and holy figures.

She subsequently goes against the wishes of her family - a theme that many viewers are not impressed by.

Giuliano Benzin / Getty Images

The movie has also been slammed for including an allegedly offensive depiction of the Hindu deity Lord Ramthat, for implying that the deity also ate meat while in exile. The film also comes under fire for promoting 'love jihad' - an unproven conspiracy among the Hindu rightwing that Muslims are tricking Hindu women into marriage for reasons of conversion.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a rightwing Hindu group began a protest against the film on Wednesday, as it accused the film of being 'intentionally released to hurt Hindu sentiments'.

Members of another rightwing Hindu group even filed police reports against the film’s director, writers and creators.

Zee Studios

The online campaign quickly gathered pace, with the film's makers, Zee Entertainment, issuing an apology on Thursday morning.

They have stated that Annapoorani: the Goddess of Food would be withdrawn from Netflix and re-edited to remove any offensive scenes.

"We have no intentions as co-producers of the film to hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindus and Brahmins community and would like to hereby apologise for the inconvenience caused and hurt caused to the sentiments of the respective communities,” said Zee Entertainment in a statement.

UNILAD has reached out to Zee Entertainment and Netflix for comment.