Sudha Kongara slams Vijay fans over 'Parasakthi trolling, blames ‘mob culture’ and calls for healthy competition

Vijay Thalapathy starrer 'Jana Nayagan' failed to hit the screens on Pongal. It was to lock horns with Sivakarthikeyan starrer 'Parasakthi'. But while the former got embroiled in a censor row, the later released, albeit a minor skirmish with the censor board for its certification. Now, in a recent interview, 'Parasakthi' director Sudha Kongara has made a scathing accusation that ‘Parasakthi’ is being under concerted attacks in the social media through character assassination. Kongara pointed out that the bad mood among fans over the delay of release of 'Jana Nayagan' has transferred into maligning a film through social media using untrue/negative reporting. Using one film’s postponed release as a reason to hit another is very bad for the industry, Kongara added.

Delayed release of 'Jana Nayagan' fuels comparisons

Fans were eagerly anticipating the release of Vijay’s swansong film, 'Jana Nayagan' in theatres during Pongal. However, 'Parasakthi' was censored with some cuts from the scenes and dialogues. Therefore, 'Parasakthi' had an expanded release across many theatres, as 'Jana Nayagan' did not release during the festival period, and the audiences warmly welcomed it. Based on Sudha Kongara, the ongoing events could explain the rise in trolling online.

Director condemns anonymous trolling

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, Sudha Kongara openly expressed her anguish over the situation. She alleged that individuals hiding behind anonymous social media handles were systematically spreading malicious content against the film. Quoting a post attributed to a Vijay fan, she referred to a remark that said obtaining a censor certificate was not a big deal, and that a film would run successfully only if the makers sought forgiveness from Vijay’s fans and obtained a “forgiveness certificate.” Terming these remarks ‘deeply disturbing’, she added that this form of bullying is not welcome in the industry or in public life. She urged upon the need for the industry to unite against such disorderly and mob-like conduct.

Despite backlash, 'Parasakthi' holds steady

Negative begets more negativity. 'Parasakthi' continues to run decently at the box office, notwithstanding the kind of trolling the film received on social media. As per Sacnilk, 'Parasakthi' has recorded decent box office collections within the first two days of release, and with the Pongal holidays lined up, there are higher chances for the numbers to escalate further. But Sudha Kongara had a clear stance on how a film should not find success at the cost of another film's failure. She feels that only respect, justice, and competition can take the film industry forward and benefit us all.