The standoff between Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and actor Suriya has resurfaced ahead of the latter’s next release Etharkkum Thunindhavan. Vijayvarman, PMK’s student union’s Cuddalore district secretary, has addressed a letter to the district’s Theatre Owners’ Association, asking them not to screen Suriya’s film. The PMK leader’s letter arrives only days before the release of Suriya’s film Etharkkum Thunindhavan. The film will hit theatres on March 10.
The letter reaffirms the party’s objection to Suriya’s film Jai Bhim, directed by TJ Gnanavel and produced by 2D Entertainment, released in 2021. The film Jai Bhim, which was based on a true story, depicted the lives of members of the Irular community.
PMK cadres and leaders objected to the way the Vanniyar community was depicted in the film, claiming that it was an attempt to malign them.
“The police sub-inspector in the film, Jai Bheem has been labelled a casteist… and by putting the community’s sign, agni kalasam, in his home, they’ve also painted the entire Vanniyar community as casteists.,” the PMK leader stated.
The film was made “to create caste rifts between Vanniyar and Irular community people,” he wrote in the letter, adding that they live in communal harmony.
“On behalf of PMK and the Vanniyar Sangam, I request that actor Surya’s films not be screened in the Cuddalore district until he publicly apologises to the people of the Vanniyar community for portraying them derogatorily,” the PMK student union wrote in the letter.
Pandiraj has directed Etharkkum Thunindhavan, which stars Suriya and Priyanka Mohan. The film’s cast also includes Arul Mohan, Vinai Rai, Sathyaraj, and Saranya Ponvannan. Due to the third wave of COVID-19, the film’s scheduled release date was pushed to March 10 from February 4.
The film will be released in Tamil, as well as dubbed versions in Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi, and Kannada. Suriya’s previous films, such as Soorarai Pottru and Jai Bhim, premiered on Amazon Prime Video.
Etharkkum Thunindhavan will be Suriya’s first pan-India theatrical release.
