K Bhagyaraj: ‘Jeyamohan shouldn’t have used such words while criticising Manjummel Boys’

He added, “I am making this statement because Kerala people shouldn’t think that there is no one to condemn such an attack. I want to make it clear, we do have people here to stand for what is right.”

Earlier, in a blog post, writer Jeyamohan, known for his Tamil novels Venmurasu and Vishnupuram, came down heavily on Manjummel Boys. The writer said that the film was glorifying the atrocities of Malayali youngsters in the tourist and forest areas of Tamil Nadu. He claimed they litter the place and break glass bottles, which end up killing elephants.
He said the film was about ‘Malayali porrukis (Malayali loafers)’ who tour South Tamil Nadu. He criticised the rampant alcoholism in Kerala and the lack of societal responsibility among people there.

He wrote, “These guys travel even deep into the forest. Drink. Drink. Drink. That’s it. Puke. Create ruckus. Pass out on the roads. Cross limits. They have no interest in anything else. They lack common sense and basic public etiquette. As shown in the films, these people break and throw away the bottles.”

Jeyamohan’s statement was met with severe criticism from across the state. Even fans from Tamil Nadu have called it racist.