Vijay Deverakonda starrer Kingdom has been facing criticism for alleged anti-Tamil content
There have been protests in Tamil Nadu for allegedly misrepresenting Sri Lankan Tamils
The film released on July 31
Vijay Deverakonda's Telugu-language film Kingdom, which hit the screens on July 31, after multiple delays, has stirred controversy. It has been facing severe backlash from a section of audience in Tamil Nadu for alleged anti-Tamil content. There have been protests and calls for a ban on the film in the state over the alleged negative portrayal of Sri Lankan Tamils and the villain being named after Lord Murugan.
Kingdom lands in trouble
There has been a huge outrage among Tamil nationalist groups, particularly Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), over the portrayal of the Sri Lankan Tamils. The group has accused the filmmakers of hurting Tamil sentiments by showing them in a bad light.
As per reports, NTK claimed that Kingdom portrays Sri Lankan Tamils as villains. They also raised a strong objection against the name of the antagonist, who is named after the Tamil deity, Lord Murugan.
The party alleged that the film has not only hurt the sentiments of the Tamil community but also maligned their identity and history.
There have been protests across various theatres across Tamil Nadu, tearing down posters and raising slogans, demanding an immediate ban on the film screening in the state.
The situation escalated further when NTK cadres tried to halt the screening of the film at a local theatre in Ramanathapuram.
Police had to intervene, and additional forces were deployed to control the crowd.
What NTK says?
Saravanan, State Propaganda Secretary of NTK told India Today, "The movie demeans LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) fighters and Eezham Tamils. They fought for 30 years and died but are shown as enslaved people living in the mountain areas. This is an attempt to twist historical facts and we can’t allow it. They have not had justice until now and many are still missing. Naam Thamizhar Katchi can’t do such acts of hurting them."
The makers of Kingdom are yet to comment or release an official statement on the backlash and protests.
About Kingdom
Set against the backdrop of 1990s Sri Lanka, the political thriller stars Vijay Deverakonda as an undercover cop with a personal mission to meet his brother, who is entangled in a political situation in Sri Lanka.
Directed by Gowtham Tinnanuri, the film also stars Satyadev and Bhagyashree Bose. The film is inching closer to Rs 50 crore mark.
