Mari Selvaraj’s scathing letter to Kamal Haasan resurfaces after director’s speech at Maamannan audio launch

While many Kamal Haasan fans are rejoicing the fact that Thevar Magan has inspired Maamannan, only a few have read between the lines of the director’s intentionally unclear speech. About a decade ago, Mari penned a long letter on a website named Kaatchi, founded by his mentor, director Ram. In the letter, Mari, who was yet to make his film debut then, was highly critical of Kamal. He calls out Kamal for being Brahminical. He claims Kamal is inconsiderate and unaware of the impact Thevar Magan has caused in the rural areas of Tamil Nadu.

Titled To Actor Padma Shri Kamal Haasan, from a slum boy, the open letter starts with, “I wanted to write this letter back when I was 8 when my house was on fire right before my eyes. It has taken a while for me to get this computer and chair. From Thevar Magan to Unnai Pol Oruvan, the poonool (the scared thread of Brahmins) progressiveness of your films cannot be tolerated anymore. To take it lying down, I am not my father Selvaraj or his father Nondi Perumal… I am from the third generation…”

Mari then goes on to question why Kamal Haasan, a self-proclaimed atheist, rationalist, and Periyarist, made a film glorifying a community and its culture with the title Thevar Magan. Mari lists out the impact of the song “Potri Paadadi Penne” from the film which was weaponised by the caste group. “Even six standard students fought over it. It was played at weddings and even at temple festivals shaking the harmony of the village. Even an ageing cucumber-seller was forced to sing the song.”

The long letter then accuses Kamal of making another casteist film called Sandiyar, which was later re-titled Virumandi. Mari Selvaraj liberally has used words like Aaryan, Brahminical, and Paramakudi Sasthrigal while referring to the actor-filmmaker. The director says Kamal’s humanism and progressiveness is condescending as it doesn’t factor the ground-level issues.

The letter, which is now trending on social media, has led to lot of debates with many hailing Mari Selvaraj for being bold. Director CS Amudha of Tamizh Padam fame tweeted, “That Mari speech was a watershed moment, it was a man at the pinnacle of his career being true to his soul & despite his adulation & forsaking all the connections he has foraged to call out a legend, it took some balls of steel. I’ve never seen it happen here. Good times!”

On the other hand, many have called out Mari for not having any stage etiquette and disrespecting the chief guest of the audio launch. Meanwhile, supporters of Kamal are sharing a video interview of late actor Vannarpettai Thangaraj from Mari Selvaraj’s Pariyerum Perumaal. In the clip, Thangaraj says that Mari slapped him during the shoot of the film for forgetting his lines. The actor also noted how he was also verbally abused for not performing well. People are questioning how Mari, who opposes caste discrimination, can encourage such exploitation.