Lord Jagannath 'offended by Kaminey'

Puri Shankaracharya Nishchalanand Saraswati has criticised the Hindi film Kaminey for demeaning Lord Jagannath.

The seer said that a scene from the picture where the phrase 'Apna Hath Jagannath' is printed on a poster next to a scantily clad women paints the Hindu god in a "poor light", The Times of India reports.

He said: "People across the country should come forward to lodge their protests against such attempts to denigrate a Hindu god."

Officials at the Lord Jagannath temple have also raised concerns, writing to the producers of the movie asking for the removal of the "objectionable scene".

The Vishal Bharadwaj-directed picture is released in India on Friday, while security has now been stepped up at theatres screening the movie.