CHENNAI: Singam director Hari on Sunday issued a statement condemning police brutality and expressing regret for glorifying policemen in five of his films. The deaths of P Jeyaraj and his son Beniks of Sathankulam have triggered outrage, with many criticising the glorification of police officers in Tamil cinema.
In this context, Hari, in a statement, said, “Such incidents should not take place in Tamil Nadu again. Due to a few officers, the whole police department is now tainted. I regret making five films celebrating the police.” Hari’s cop films — Singam I, II, III, Saamy, and Saamy Square — typically feature a violent police officer as the protagonist, who takes the law into his own hands.
Even encounters were depicted as worthy of adulation in his 2003 blockbuster Saamy. Actor Suriya, the star of the Singam franchise, also lashed out at the police in a strongly-worded statement calling for the punishment of those involved in the deaths.
Kaala director Pa Ranjith also spoke out on the issue. “It is our duty to ensure that we don’t lose another life to police brutality. Every single police officer unleashing violence against the public without any fear should be thought of as a criminal,” he said. Actors Samantha, Kajal Aggarwal, Hansika, and Vishnu Vishal have also mourned the deaths and condemned police brutality.