There was a protest against the recently released Telugu film ‘Kingdom’ in Tamil Nadu, directed by Gwatam Tinnuri and Vijay Devarakonda starred in the lead role.
The film, released worldwide on 31 July, has created a controversy for allegedly depicting Sri Lankan Tamils in negative light and naming the opponent after Tamil deity Murugan.
The film consists of Vijay Devarakonda along with Bhagishree, Satyadev and many other actors.
However, the material has created resentment between Tamil nationalist groups, especially the name Tamiller Kachi (NTK), who has accused filmmakers of hurting Tamil sentiments.
NTK cadres have alleged that the Sri Lankan Tamils are depicted as villains in the ‘Kingdom’ and there is a strong objection to the opponents being made in the name of Lord Murugan, a revered deity among the Tamils.
The party claims that the depiction is not only insensitive, but also aimed at identifying the Tamil people and spoiling the history.
In response, NTK members staged protests outside various theaters in Tamil Nadu, seeking a ban on screening of the film in the state.
In Ramanathapuram, stress increased when NTK cadres tried to block the film’s screening in a local theater.
The protesters surrounded the site, raised slogans and demanded an immediate stop in the show.
The situation became tense when the police personnel intervened to disperse the mob.
A scuffle allegedly broke between the police and the NTK members, resulting in a brief deadlock.
Additional forces were deployed in the area to bring the situation under control. While the police managed to restore the order, the atmosphere in Ramanathapuram remains tense, which has a huge deployment of security around the cinemas around the screening of the film.
No reports of injuries have been revealed so far, although the authorities remain on high alert to prevent them from moving forward.
Meanwhile, the name Tamiller Kachi reiterated its demand for the Tamil Nadu government to ban the film, alleging that it was accused of promoting anti -Tamil stories and insulting cultural sentiments.
Political observers believe that the dispute is likely to gain further traction until the film-maker or censor boards release clarification addressing concerns.
(This report has been published as part of the auto-birthted syndicate wire feed. There is no editing in the headline or body by ABP Live.)
