CHENNAI: Puthiya Tamilagam president K Krishnasamy urged the state government to ban the title ‘Sandiyar’ to any movie and also not to permit actor Kamal Haasan to use the title for his proposed movie, cautioning that such a move could revive caste tensions and undermine social harmony in the State.
After meeting Information Minister A Raj Mohan at the secretariat on Wednesday, Krishnasamy also appealed to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to prevent the film from being released under the name.
He expressed concern over the promotional message for the movie Sandiyar - “Revenge can be settled only in blood”, which, he said, glorifies violence and vengeance.
Recalling the controversy in 2003, Krishnasamy said the title had then faced strong opposition from his party because of its negative social connotations and the potential to provoke conflict between communities.
Kamal Haasan changed the title of his movie to ‘Virumandi’ after the then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa intervened in the issue, he said.
Referring to Thevar Magan and earlier controversies surrounding caste-related songs, names and symbols, Krishnasamy argued films made by prominent actors could have a significant impact on public attitudes.