Kamal Haasan has revived the title Sandiyar for his upcoming film directed by SU Arun Kumar. He previously dropped the name in 2003 after facing caste-related controversies. Kamal said, “There are no casteist references in the script.” The project eventually became the 2004 hit film Virumaandi after the initial protests.
Kamal Haasan has revived the title Sandiyar for his upcoming film directed by SU Arun Kumar, two decades after dropping it following caste-related controversies in 2003.
Kamal Haasan has a new film coming up, but its title has reminded many people of an old controversy. The actor has brought back a name that he had to drop more than two decades ago. Interestingly, the same title had caused quite a stir in Tamil Nadu back in 2003. So, what exactly happened?
Kamal recently announced his next Tamil film with director SU Arun Kumar. The first-look poster shows him holding a gun, with blood adding to the intense look. The film is titled Sandiyar.
But this is actually the second time Kamal has announced a film with this name. In 2003, he had planned a movie titled Sandiyar, but objections from a political party forced him to change it. The film was eventually released as Virumaandi in 2004 and went on to become a big hit.
When Kamal announced Sandiyar in 2003, the first posters showed him holding a sickle. The title soon became a problem after K Krishnaswamy, founder of the pro-Dalit Puthiya Thamizhagam Party, raised objections. The Tamil word Sandiyar has more than one meaning. It can mean a troublemaker or a rogue. It is also sometimes used for someone who is brave or has valour. Krishnaswamy felt that the title glorified a dominant caste and objected to its use. He even warned that he would disrupt the film’s shooting.
Kamal, however, did not agree with the criticism. He said there was nothing caste-related in his film. Speaking to the media at the time, he said, “There are no casteist references in the script. I don’t know what this is all about."
Things became more serious when the film’s shooting reportedly faced threats. Kamal even met then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and requested special police protection for the team. However, Jayalalithaa reportedly refused to provide extra security. According to TOI, she later told reporters that “films are made for entertainment, and not for creating problems". She also said that the police had other matters to look after.
With the controversy continuing, Kamal decided to change the film’s name. Sandiyar became Virumaandi, which finally reached theatres in 2004.
Virumaandi went on to become a huge hit, earning almost ₹50 crore worldwide.