Kamal’s ‘Sandiyar’ Stirs Old Caste Row
Objections raised over cast connotations and possibility of inciting violence
Kamal Haasan has revived the controversial title Sandiyar for his newly announced project with director S.U. Arun Kumar, sparking immediate widespread attention across Tamil cinema. Unveiled on the eve of the iconic actor’s 72nd birthday, the first-look poster showcases him in a fierce, raw look, with a short buzz-cut, a salt-and-pepper beard and a stern expression while standing near a blood-stained vehicle holding a firearm.
The term ‘Sandiyar,’ which translates as ‘brawler,’ ‘rogue’ or ‘defiant fighter,’ carries significant historical baggage in Kollywood. Kamal Haasan had originally planned to use it as the title for his 2004 directorial masterpiece which ultimately hit screens as Virumaandi. At that time, political groups had expressed severe objection to the word. Dr. K. Krishnasamy, founder of the Puthiya Thamizhagam party, led fierce protests claiming that the term glorified localised violence and a specific dominant caste.
Following intense political pressure and a refusal by the state government to support the film’s smooth release under that title, Haasan had reluctantly renamed it right before its audio launch. Virumaandi went on to become a cult classic.
The veteran actor has now reclaimed the title Sandiyar under his banner Raaj Kamal Films International.
