The much-hyped-about film Dasavatharam, in which Kamal Hassan dons ten roles and which is due for release later this month, has run into trouble with Hindu outfits raising objections to certain scenes and threatening agitation and one group moving the Madras High Court for a stay.

The movie, produced by Oscar Ravichandran and directed by K S Ravikumar has particularly irked Vaishnavites as one of the roles played by Kamal is that of a staunch Vaishnavite in the early 16th century who is killed by a Saivite king for worshipping Lord Narayana.

According to Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Vedantham, the movie has a few scenes glorifying the clash between Vaishnavism and Saivism that prevailed during the 16th century. It is also reported that too many statues of Hindu Gods have been shown to be destroyed. Such scenes should be removed, he has said.

Hindu Munnani leader Rama Gopalan has said that during the campaigns by Muslims satrap Malik Gafoor, the Madurai Meenakshi Amman idol was attacked. Fearing a similar fate, Vaishnavities took away the idols from Srirangam temple and hid them for 43 years. “Are these shown in the movie,” he has asked.

Mr Rama Gopalan has alleged that Chief Minister M Karunanidhi is trying to achieve through Kamal Haasan what he himself cannot, as both are self-confessed atheists. A vacation bench of the Madras High Court, comprising Justices Rajasurya and M Sathyanarayanan on Tuesday admitted a public interest litigation by the International Sri Vaishnava Dharma Samrakshana Society and ordered notice to the Censor Board, producer Ravichandran and director Ravikumar.

Mr Govinda Ramanuja Dasa, former president of the forum, has said that the “scenes depicting clashes between Vaishnavites and Saivites, Kamal stepping on Pranav Mantram and the Bhagvad Gita, and (Kamal) being tied to the idol of Lord Ranganatha and pushed into the sea offend the faith and religious sentiments of Vaishnavites”.
Mr Ravichandran has denied that the movie hurts the sentiments of any religious sects.

He has said, “It is a film that reflects on spiritualism and everyone who believes in God will admire it.” He has also pointed out that the Censor Board has cleared it with a U certificate.