The makers of Disney+ Hotstar‘s upcoming direct digital release Laxmii have launched a new poster for the movie. One look at the poster will tell you the reason for designing the new poster the way they have. The poster prominently features lead actress Kiara Advani in the centre, with male lead Akshay Kumar standing on one side of her, hidden partially by her flowing locks. Laxmii is written in bold in the centre, below Kiara Advani’s picture. What’s intriguing about the new poster is that Akshay Kumar is not seen in the transgender character that is the pivotal point of the film. The red vermilion on his forehead is there all right, but the character Laxmi, on which the movie is based, is missing from the poster.
The sole focus of the poster is on Kiara Advani, and her alone — and not on Akshay Kumar or his Laxmii character. It is quite clear why the stakeholders have decided to release this poster this weekend — obviously to please the various right wing Hindu groups that have been protesting against its use of the term ‘Laxmii’ in the title, and the movie itself, may be.
Laxmii has come into the eye of a storm due to certain religious organisations protesting against the release of the movie. These organisations have opposed the release of Laxmii on the grounds that it hurts the sentiments of Hindus with its reference to the Hindu Goddess Laxmi in what they say is a derogatory manner. The Rajput Karni Sena and the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha of Karnataka are the two organisations most vociferous in raising protests against Laxmii. They have even threatened legal action against the movie and its release.
Last week, to appease these organisations, the makers had even changed the name of the movie from its earlier popular Laxmmi Bomb to the now staid Laxmii. The new poster featuring Kiara Advani in the centre is another move on their part to appease the hardliners. The poster gives the impression that Laxmii refers to Kiara Advani, and not to Akshay Kumar’s transgender character. Of course, it is nothing more than an eyewash, meant to cool down the agitational sentiments against the movie.
Let’s hope the ploy works, and the protests die a natural death. Laxmii premieres on Disney Plus Hotstar on 9th November. Have a look at the new poster of Laxmii here –