Tussle between PMK and Suriya over 'Jai Bhim' continues

PMK said it would not allow any Suriya film to be screened in Mayiladuthurai, went on to announce a reward of Rs 1 lakh to anybody who assaults the actor

Tamil blockbuster Jai Bhim was at the centre of a raging row after an association representing Vanniyars, a dominant community in northern Tamil Nadu, sent a legal notice to the makers of the film demanding an “unconditional apology” for “tarnishing and damaging” the reputation of the community.

Vanniyar Sangam, the parent organisation of Paatali Makkal Katchi which has five MLAs, sent the notice to actor Suriya, his wife and producer Jyotika, director T J Gnanavel and Amazon Prime Video which released the movie, which also sought damages of Rs 5 crore.

Soon after the legal notice went viral on social media, the #IStandWithSuriya hashtag trended on Twitter with popular director Pa. Ranjith and several others coming out in support of the actor. Jai Bhim and Suriya have been targeted by the PMK ever since the movie’s release for “trying to portray Vanniyars” in a bad light.

Also Read | Ex-Union minister Ramadoss claims 'Jai Bhim' insults Vanniyars, questions Suriya

Jai Bhim based on the real-life story of Parvati’s struggle to get justice for her husband Rajakannu’s custodial death has received all-around praise. However, the legal notice sent by Vanniyar Sangam through PMK lawyer K Baalu accuses the filmmakers of deliberately changing the name of only one character in the movie and using their symbol Agni Kundam (raging flame from a holy pot) with “malafide intention” of defaming Vanniyars.

“In one of the sequences in the movie, you have shown the symbol of Vanniyar Sangam in the calendar behind the Sub Inspector of Police who commits the atrocity of torture in the movie. While mentioning names of various characters from the real story, you have deliberately named the Sub-inspector of police as Guru resembling one of the frontline leaders of Vanniyar Sangam,” the legal notice said.

However, the Agni Kundam symbol was removed from the scene by Amazon Prime a few days after the movie’s release.

The notice also said by various symbolic representations in the movie, the makers have “wantonly, wilfully and intentionally portrayed the character of the sub-inspector of police, who is guilty of committing custodial death in the film and also in the real-life story, belongs to Vanniyar community whereas the said policeman was not a Vanniyar.

“It cannot be considered as a casual, innocent, inadvertent mistake and natural sequence in the movie. Only with a view to maligning the image of Vanniyar community people in the society and with a view to defaming the entire community as a whole, you have deliberately displayed in the scene the Vanniyar Sangam logo and symbol in the calendar,” the notice further said,

The notice also said the filmmakers have deliberately done this to give a false impression in the minds of the viewers and others that belong to the Vanniyar community have been “habitually oppressing the underprivileged people” in the society.

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