Kamal Haasan's remarks on Sanatan Dharma trigger yet another political row, BJP leader calls for boycott

This is the second controversy in weeks for Haasan, who recently faced a Karnataka film ban over his ‘Tamil birthed Kannada’ remark.

Actor-politician Kamal Haasan has landed in yet another political controversy once, this time over his remarks on Sanatan Dharma made during the 15th anniversary celebrations of actor Suriya’s Agaram Foundation in Chennai.

Speaking on the transformative power of education and how that can help counter 'ignorant majoritarians', Haasan, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP and founder of Makkal Needhi Maiam, said, “In this war, only education has the power to change the nation. It’s the only weapon that can break the chains of dictatorship and Sanatana. Do not take any other weapon in your hands… because you will be defeated by majoritarianism; ignorant majoritarians will defeat you.”

The comments triggered a sharp reaction from the BJP in Tamil Nadu. State secretary Amar Prasad Reddy released a video on X (formerly Twitter), accusing Haasan of insulting Hindu beliefs.

“He wants to destroy Sanatan Dharma,” Reddy said, calling on Hindus to boycott all of Haasan’s films, both in theatres and on OTT platforms. “Let this be a message. Speak against Sanatan and face the consequences,” he said.

BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan also criticised Haasan. Speaking to ANI, she said, “First, he raised the language issue. Now, he’s using religion to divide people.”

This is not Haasan’s first run-in with controversy in recent weeks.

Ahead of the release of his film Thug Life, the actor claimed in Karnataka that Kannada was “born from Tamil”, prompting widespread outrage and a temporary ban on the film’s release. The Supreme Court later lifted the ban.