In the wake of the nation wide controversy over Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s comments regarding Sanatana Dharma, anti-caste director Mari Selvaraj has come out in support of the Minister. Mari Selvaraj shared on his social media handles, a verse from the Thirukural–the famed ancient Tamil couplets–that makes an appearance in an important scene in his latest film Maamannan. The verse in question says that all are born equal and if one seeks difference, it must be based solely on the quality of one’s work.
Udhayanidhi who is the Tamil Nadu minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development, is also known for his career as an actor and producer. His last film saw him in the lead role alongside veteran star Vadivelu in Maamannan, released earlier this year. Alongside the Thirukural, Mari also shared key scenes from the film featuring both Udhayanidhi and Vadivelu with Fahadh Faasil, who played the main antagonist.
The short clip opens to the scene of Fahadh angrily firing his gun at a pack of hunting dogs. Despite the firing, the dogs continue running on their way and soon escape Fahadh’s violence. In another one of the scenes shared in the clip, Udhayanidhi tells Fahadh, “No one here is going to fear your intimidation tactics any more. Even if you threaten people with your gun, each person will continue running towards their own goals.” In the next scene shared by Mari, Vadivelu who played a Dalit MLA and later chief minister of Tamil Nadu, quotes the above Thirukural verse in the moment he first takes his seat in the fictional Legislative Assembly. In this scene Vadivelu recites the verse and gives its explanation to the newly elected MLAs including those who went up against him.
The film told the story of Maamannan (Vadivelu), a Dalit MLA from a reserved constituency in the Kongu-belt of Tamil Nadu and his son Adhiveeran (Udhayanidhi). Despite his party position Maamannan is discriminated against by the dominant caste members of the fictional political party he is a part of, until father and son decide to fight back.
Mari is a well-known anti-caste Tamil director who previously made Pariyerum Perumal (2018) and Dhanush-starrer Karnan (2021). Maamannan is supposed to be Udhayanidhi’s last film before exiting acting, according to the minister.
The ongoing row over Udhayanidhi’s comments started after the minister's speech on the need to eradicate Sanatana Dharma—considered the bedrock for the caste system— stirred a national-level controversy. Udhyanidhi made the speech on Sunday, September 3, at the Sanatana Eradication conference organised by the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association held in Chennai.
Many in the BJP dubbing it ‘hate’ speech. Udhayanidhi had compared the Sanatana doctrine to diseases such as dengue, malaria and COVID-19. BJP leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah are interpreting Udhayanidhi’s remarks as a call for the ‘genocide’ of Hindus.
Earlier, anti-caste directors Pa Ranjith and Vetrimaaran had both come out in support of Udhayanidhi’s comments. “Minister Udhayanidhi’s statement calling for abolishment of Sanatana Dharma is the core principle of anti-caste movement for centuries,” Ranjith had said on September 5, while expressing solidarity with the DMK leader. He also added at the time that, “ The roots of inhumane practices in the name of caste and gender lies in the Sanatana Dharma.”