Kayadu Lohar has landed in a social media controversy after sharing a meme from The Paradise on her Instagram story. Some people are calling the post racist and insensitive, while others say the reaction is being blown out of proportion.
The meme shows a bright green parrot smoking a cigarette while standing among a large group of black crows. The text reads, “kayadu lohar in PARADISE.”
The crows have an important role in Nani’s The Paradise. They are the symbol of the tribal community shown in the film and also represent the characters and their world. The community is portrayed as raw and rustic, with the story dealing with oppression, rebellion and identity.
Kayadu plays Subbalakshmi, also known as Subbu. Her character is also shown smoking in the film, which explains the cigarette-smoking parrot in the meme.
However, some social media users feel the post sends a different message. They believe Kayadu is presenting herself as the fair and colourful parrot standing among the darker crows.
Because the crows represent the tribal community in the film, some are interpreting the meme as a comment on skin colour and as insensitive towards darker-skinned people.
There is another side to the debate. Many users argue that the meme has nothing to do with real-world racism or colourism.
Kayadu may simply be making a light-hearted joke about her character being different from the other characters in the film.
So, whether the meme is offensive or simply a harmless movie reference depends largely on how people interpret it. The post has certainly created another talking point around The Paradise just days before its release on September 24.
