On Friday, we reported about Kamal Haasan's next film with director SU Arun Kumar being titled Sandiyar.
The film marks the first collaboration between actor Kamal and director Arun Kumar, known for helming 2023's Chiththa and last year's Veera Dheera Sooran.
Interestingly, Sandiyar was once used as the original title for Kamal's 2004 film Virumaandi before political pressure forced the change.
Back then, Puthiya Tamilagam Party founder DR K Krishnasamy led the objection to that title, especially because of its caste connotation and since it came with a poster featuring Kamal holding a sickle.
The term Sandiyar means a street fighter, troublemaker or rogue, but it has connotations related to 'dominant caste strongmen'.
On Friday, we reported about Kamal Haasan's next film with director SU Arun Kumar being titled Sandiyar. The film marks the first collaboration between actor Kamal and director Arun Kumar, known for helming 2023's Chiththa and last year's Veera Dheera Sooran. Interestingly, Sandiyar was once used as the original title for Kamal's 2004 film Virumaandi before political pressure forced the change. Back then, Puthiya Tamilagam Party founder DR K Krishnasamy led the objection to that title, especially because of its caste connotation and since it came with a poster featuring Kamal holding a sickle.
The term Sandiyar means a street fighter, troublemaker or rogue, but it has connotations related to 'dominant caste strongmen'. At the time, the argument against the title was that it glorified rowdyism based on caste, while valorising 'dominant groups' and running the risk of instigating communal violence. Reportedly, the protest threatened to disrupt Virumaandi's shoot, and while Kamal sought CM Jayalalithaa's support, the government did not grant him protection for picking a contentious title and a sensitive subject for his film. The film was then retitled Virumaandi to avoid security and financial concerns associated with the production.
