Director Sam Taylor-Johnson's Fifty Shades of Grey, which is based on E.L. James’ bestselling erotic novel and is set to release in sync with Valentine's Day, is in the spotlight again - this time as the focus of domestic abuse protestors.

According to the Guardian, a campaign group called '50 Shades is Domestic Abuse', which claims that the franchise glamorises domestic abuse, came together last night at the UK premiere of the film holding up placards and banners reading “Fifty Shades is abuse” and “Mr Grey is a rapist”.

“We felt really concerned about the way the books romanticise abuse and glamorise an abusive person,” campaign head, Natalie Collins, told the BBC.

The author, who was unimpressed with the protest, said: “Why do you think there are so many women here if it’s about domestic abuse and domestic violence?”

A Facebook women-led campaign group has also been formed by the name '50 Dollars not 50 Shades', which aims to encourage people to boycott the film and instead donate to domestic violence shelter/agency.

The group also encourages people to post when and where will they be participating in an "in-person protest" against Fifty Shades of Grey.

The hashtag 50DollarsNot50Shades is also making rounds on Twitter:

Fifty Shades of Grey follows the relationship between student Anastasia Steele (played by Dakota Johnson) and emotionally-damaged billionaire Christian Grey (played by Jamie Dornan), who enjoys controlling sexual encounters.

The book has sold over 100 million copies around the world, and the movie is set to open at $60 million, with four and a half million tickets already sold in the 39 countries where it will release this weekend.