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Journalism of Courage
THERE’S a new film in town in Tamil Nadu, and it is making all the news off screen. Made by Red Giant, a production house linked to the ruling DMK’s first family, and starring Chief Minister M K Stalin’s son and minister Udayanidhi, it tackles the difficult question of caste and its place within the Dravidian politics of the state.
Maamannan is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Mari Selvaraj, who brings his own perspective of being a Dalit to the film, and sheds rare light on the otherwise concealed caste practices and prejudices within Dravidian parties, particularly in the Kongu region of western Tamil Nadu.
A pivotal scene, which has become a talking point, has Athiveeran, a Dalit character played by Udhayanidhi, engaged in a fiery debate about caste-based equality with Rathnavelu, a character with negative undertones enacted by Fahadh Faasil.
They argue over whether they can sit together as equals, given their different caste backgrounds. Rathnavelu is ready to do so with Athiveeran, a pig farmer, as required for a crucial negotiation, but refuses the same courtesy to Athiveeran’s father, who incidentally is an MLA belonging to Rathnavelu’s political party.
While raising questions about how caste plays out at different levels, and when power can be an equaliser – in this case when Athiveeran’s father becomes an Assembly Speaker – the film has raised eyebrows about the deep association with the DMK first family with it. While Udayanidhi is recognised as the political successor to Stalin and hence the heir apparent in the DMK, Red Giant is more known for its monopoly over the film industry whenever the DMK is in power.
There is another layer to the story. The character of Athiveeran’s father is played by Vadivelu, who is making a return to the silver screen after a decade-long hiatus. The gap in his career is linked by many to his strong anti-AIADMK stand and his running dispute with Captain Vijayakanth. There was a period when producers were seen as reluctant to give Vadivelu roles, fearing repercussions from the ruling AIADMK, while Vadivelu himself was known to turn down producers.
Many have also drawn a parallel between the character played by Vadivelu and P Dhanapal, a veteran AIADMK leader from M G Ramachandran’s time, known for his mature politics and Dalit identity.
As per a story shared widely on social media since Maamannan’s release, when he was the AIADMK district secretary of Salem, Dhanapal once hosted a dinner for his party colleagues. Many top leaders of the AIADMK, mostly controlled by powerful backward communities of Tamil Nadu known for their anti-Dalit sentiment, are said to have left without eating any food. Dhanapal felt this was because he was a Dalit. Some time later, when he got a chance, he spoke about this to Jayalalithaa, the party chief and CM.
To send a message down the party line, Jayalalithaa then appointed Dhanapal as her Civil Supplies Minister, making him in a way overall in-charge of food in the state. She also elevated him to the position of Deputy Speaker, and then Speaker, ensuring that Dhanapal garnered respect from both sides of the political spectrum.
While the coincidence may appear too stark, both filmmaker Maamannan and Dhanapal have refrained from drawing a connection. Neither has anyone in the AIADMK stepped forward to confirm the story.
Speaking recently on social media, Dhanapal sidestepped a question on the film, saying: “Many such bitter stories are not to be recalled again.” But he admitted he had been flooded with calls after the movie release, with many people finding similarities to his life in it.
And therein may lie the irony. Dhanapal may not be able to truly identify with the story while being entrenched in the party that he belongs to. And that Red Giant, for all its alleged monopolistic tendencies, may hope to use Maamannan to position itself as a catalyst for social change.
