Muslim group in TN protests against Kamal Hassan-produced film 'Amaran'
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Members of the Tamilaga Makkal Jananayaga Katchi (TMJK) staged protests across several districts in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday against the yet-to-be-released film 'Amaran', which they alleged portrays Muslims and the people of Kashmir as terrorists.
The demonstrations, which took place in Tirunelveli, Tiruchirapalli, Tiruppur, Vellore, Cuddalore, and other areas, called for a halt to the film's release, although no official release date had been announced.
Rayal Siddique, Tiruchirapalli district secretary of the TMJK, in a statement to reporters in Palakarai, urged the Tamil Nadu government to intervene and ban the film "Amaran," alleging that its teaser depicts Muslims and Kashmiris as terrorists.
The controversy stems from the teaser of "Amaran," featuring popular actor Sivakarthikeyan in the lead role, which was recently unveiled. Produced by actor Kamal Haasan's Raaj Kamal Films International and Sony Pictures Films India, the film is directed by Rajkumar Periasamy and also stars Sai Pallavi, Bhuvan Arora, and Rahul Bose.
Sivakarthikeyan portrays the character of Major Mukund Varadarajan, a real-life hero who was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra for his bravery during an anti-terrorist operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district in 2014.
TMJK members voiced their objections to what they perceived as negative portrayals of Muslims and Kashmiris in the teaser, alleging that it depicted them as terrorists. They demanded the intervention of the Tamil Nadu government to ban the film, accusing the Tamil film industry of consistently depicting Muslims, who have coexisted peacefully with people of all faiths in the state, in an unfavourable manner.
During the protests, TMJK members chanted slogans against Sivakarthikeyan and Kamal Haasan, calling for the invocation of the Goondas Act against the actors and attempting to burn effigies of them. Police officers were deployed to disperse the crowds and maintain order, leading to the detention of several protesters.
Rayal Siddique, the TMJK district secretary in Tiruchirapalli, reiterated the organization's stance, emphasizing the need for immediate government action to ban the film. He condemned what he described as the film industry's perpetuation of negative stereotypes about Muslims, contrary to the peaceful coexistence they have historically shared with other communities in Tamil Nadu.
The controversy surrounding "Amaran" underscores ongoing tensions surrounding the portrayal of religious and ethnic groups in Indian cinema, particularly in sensitive regions like Kashmir. As calls for censorship and cultural sensitivity persist, the film's fate remains uncertain pending further developments and official statements from the concerned parties.
