Controversy over the announcement of Jr NTR’s upcoming film with Trivikram Srinivas has been brewing on social media for days. Things came to a head when Tamil Nadu politician Seeman released a statement on social media on Sunday, not only warning Jr NTR and Trivikram of ‘severe repercussions’ over their depiction of Lord Murugan but also urging the government to ban the film there.
The film announcement that led to controversy
On June 29, producer Naga Vamsi and Jr NTR announced their next film with Trivikram. Making the announcement, the producer wrote, “Born in the North. Forged in the Heartland. Worshipped in the South. Now… A tale destined to belong to the universe.”
While the announcement did not reveal much, the poster hinted that the film would be about Lord Murugan/Karthikeya. The caption rubbed Tamilians the wrong way for claiming that one of their most revered Gods was ‘born in the North’. Numerous people took to social media to slam this depiction.
Seeman warns Jr NTR and film’s team
On Sunday, Naam Tamilar Katchi party leader Seeman released a long statement on X (formerly Twitter) and slammed the film’s team. He began his note by warning that those who ‘distort the history’ of Murugan and ‘demean Tamilians’ will face ‘severe consequences’. He called it ‘shocking’ that the film would depict Murugan as someone born in the northern plains, given that the Tamil race has a history spanning thousands of years.
The politician also claimed that races that ‘lack distinct identities, cultural elements, worship methods and divine traditions’ have ‘stolen and appropriated’ Sivan, Murugan, Kannan, Thirumal, Kotravai and other Gods by ‘plundering them wholesale’. “From time immemorial, the most ancient, primal god of Tamils, inseparably intertwined with Tamil culture and way of life: Lord Muruga Peruman. He, too, the great Tamil race will not let slip away. Tamil is Murugan; Murugan is Tamil; the two are inseparable,” reads a portion of his statement.
He also warned Jr NTR and team, writing, “I warn that the film crew must immediately abandon their attempts to fabricate and impose fictional tales—such as claiming Lord Muruga was born in the northern plains—under the guise of art. Failure to do so will result in facing the most severe repercussions.” He urged the TN government, theatre owners, and others to make the decision to ban the film in the state if they did not heed.
“Considering that this film, which distorts Tamil culture and is created with the intent to hurt the sentiments of Tamils, could lead to serious law-and-order issues if released, I also strongly urge the Tamil Nadu government not to permit the screening of its Tamil version or Telugu version in Tamil Nadu,” he wrote.
The film’s team has yet to respond to Seeman’s statement. Jr NTR and Trivikram’s film has yet to go on the floor, though it’s rumoured to be titled God of War.