Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

Artistic freedom vs. fears of violence

By S. Annamalai

MADURAI JUNE 18. The abrupt cancellation of the shooting of Kamal Hassan's Sandiyar, in the wake of a protest by the Puthiya Tamizhagam and police inability to provide protection, has thrown up several questions on artistic freedom.

At the outset, Kamal Hassan, as scriptwriter and producer, clarified that the film would not glorify violence. Nor would it be a sequel to Thevar Magan. His contention is that the ill-effects of violence could not be brought out without effectively portraying it.

But the PT objection and the police reluctance "to take chances" are born out of a fear that the symbols exhibited by the filmmaker in the trailer and the publicity material have the potential to transform into a powder keg in the highly volatile southern districts. The title carries with it negative connotations in this region.

The PT leader says a `sandiyar' is a `village terrorist'. And the local `sandiyar' usually belongs to the dominant caste group.

The publicity material carried pictures of all main characters wielding an `aruval', a symbol of caste dominance.

The moustache and the attire of the characters have also not gone down well with those who fear that the film will be used by vested interests to create unrest in the south. Importance given to a particular caste group, be it in naming a transport corporation or a district, was the reason for flare-ups in the 1990s. Even an unintended `glorification' of `sandiyar' would create tension, they apprehend.

On the other hand, those who speak for artistic freedom point out that no individual or organisation has the authority to put fetters on an artist.

The Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers' Association is concerned at the tendency to pass judgments even before the release of the film. It has termed the attempts to stall the shooting `fascist'.

But the Hindu Munnani too has opposed the film per se.

The Sandiyar project has run into rough weather following the attempts to give a casteist and political colour to it, with the PT opposing it and splinter groups of the All-India Forward Bloc and some Mukkulathor outfits offering to provide protection.

Some of these outfits earlier opposed the filming of Kamal Hassan's Marudanayagaam, a non-starter though.

After the Sandiyar unit packed off to Chennai from Uthamapalayam, there has been speculation that the shooting will be shifted to some other State.

Even in that eventuality, there is no guarantee of the screening in Tamil Nadu being a smooth affair. For the Tamil film industry, shaken by video piracy and the stranglehold of usury, a revival depends solely on the success of Sandiyar, those associated with the production feel.

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