Kamal Haasan: Films embroiled in controversies

Kamal Haasan has always been in the limelight for various controversies throughout his film career. The Papanasam actor’s approach towards movies and the characters has always been eccentric and rewarding. However, this usually lands him in trouble and he can be seen clarifying the reason for a particular character being that way or justifying content of the film. Reportedly, his recent successful venture, Papanasam was also embroiled in controversies. The director of the movie, Jeethu Joseph, was reportedly charged by a writer for stealing his script. Let’s take a look at the controversies that have plagued Kamal’s films over the years...

- Aarti Iyengar

Uttama Villain
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s Tamil Nadu wing seems to have locked horns with Kamal Haasan’s movies. According to a report on Thehindu.com, the group had filed a lawsuit against the filmmaker and demanded a ban on the film, Uttama Villain. The comedy flick, directed by Ramesh Aravind and produced by N. Linguswamy and Kamal Haasan, had been criticised by the Hindu group for the lyrics of one of its songs which they claimed had belittled a conversation between Prahlad and Hiranyakashipu. They alleged that the lyrics hurt Hindu sentiments. The group also reportedly condemned actor Kamal Haasan.

Vishwaroopam
Kamal Haasan’s magnum opus, Vishwaroopam, was attacked repeatedly for different reasons. The movie was banned just before release and Kamal Haasan was hit hard as a result. Having also financed the project, Kamal was on the verge of bankruptcy. The first blow that the film received was when the producers and theatre owners refused to screen the film thanks to Kamal’s plan to release the film on DTH platforms. According to a report on Indiatoday.in, the actor had a plan of releasing the movie on DTH (Direct-To-Home) first before releasing it on the big screen. Reportedly, this flared up the theatre owners as it would translate into a loss for them. Once Kamal dropped the DTH plan, a new problem erupted. Reportedly, the Muslim community of several Southern states were enraged by the portrayal of their community in the movie. This led to a ban on the movie’s release in Tamil Nadu. Faced with the prospect of going bankrupt, Kamal, apparently, even made a statement saying that he was in search of a secular place to stay as Tamil Nadu wanted him out, reported Indiatoday.in.

Dasavatharam
Kamal Haasan’s magnum opus, Dasavatharam was caught in controversies for portraying the clash between Saivism and Vaishnavism. According to a report on Ibnlive.com, the movie was scrutinized by VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) and Hindu Munnani for its portrayal of clash between the Shaivite and Vaishanvite saints during the 16th century AD. Apparently, both the Hindu groups threatened to stall the screening of the film by protesting outside the theatres. The Hindu groups petitioned asking the director and Kamal Haasan to change certain scenes showing the clash or the groups would stage a protest demonstration outside the screens to stall the screening of the film with the help of devotees, reported Ibnlive.com. Reports also suggest that the Hindu leader took serious objection to Mallika Sherawat’s revealing dress that she wore for the audio release function and demanded action against her.

Thevar Magan
Kamal Haasan and Sivaji Ganesan-starrer, Thevar Magal raised several eyebrows with accusations of the movie glorifying violence in the Thevar caste. According to Thenewindianexpress.com, people belonging to the Thevar caste protested against the movie for the glorification of violence in their caste. The film went on to receive several accolades and National awards including one for Best Feature Film in Tamil. The movie was Kamal’s debut as a producer.

Vasool Raja MBBS
Kamal Haasan and Prabhu-starrer Vasool Raja MBBS, which was a remake of Hindi’s blockbuster hit, Munna Bhai MBBS, faced the wrath of the doctors of the Indian Medical Association. A report on Thehindu.com stated that the doctors of the Medical Association had a problem with the title of the film which they found to be very demeaning. The report also stated that the doctors threatened with dire consequences if the film’s title was not changed. Reportedly, the Tamil Nadu Medical Council president, K R Balasubramanian, stated that the film’s title ridiculed the medical profession and damaged the image of the fraternity. Apparently, the reason why the doctors were agitated by the title was because the expression,Vasool Raja implies a person who takes bribe.

Hey Ram
Hey Ram, a Tamil-Hindi bilingual, was India’s official entry for Oscars in the Best Foreign Language Film category. The film was severely criticised and faced protests and agitations for its portrayal of Gandhi. Reportedly, the film starring Kamal Haasan and Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan was asked to be banned all across the country for its negative portrayal of Gandhi. In an interview with Indiatoday.in, Kamal Haasan shared that there were some political parties behind the protests and that the film did not portray Gandhi as the bad man. Reportedly, the actor was also quoted as saying that Gandhians had the right to protest if they found any objectionable content in the film.