Protest politics

It has to be noted that while Muslim organisations have earned the ire of the liberals and neutral observers over these protests, they are only one of the many who are in the habit of getting offended far too easily. This small but vociferous group pervades caste, religion and politics to include the Hindu right wing, influential caste groups, and mainstream political parties of varying sizes.

For instance, there are several cases of protests against films and actors staged by the Hindu Munnani, and Hindu Makkal Katchi, a religious organisation that is diagonally opposite to the Islamists in ideology.

It was the HMK that first raised protests against Vishwaroopam, alleging that the title was Sanskrit and demanded a Tamil title.

The Hindu Munnani had protested several times in the past against films, including Kamal Haasan's Dasavatharam (for alleged wrong portrayal of tussles between Saivite and Vaishnavite schools in the 16th century), against Vaanam (for alleged anti-Hindu scenes), against a little-known Vanakkamma (for depicting gods smoking and consuming alcohol), against actor Khushboo (for allegedly having sat cross-legged wearing footwear near the idols of goddesses Lakshmi, Parvati and Saraswati during the puja function of a new film) and most recently, against actor Trisha (for her remarks that apparently encouraged drinking among women).

The PMK's protests against Khushboo for her comments of pre-marital sex, and against the biggest superstar of Tamil cinema, Rajnikant, for onscreen smoking and drinking are also well-known.

Kamal Haasan was the target of protests over his film, Thevar Magan, for allegedly glorifying violence by the Thevar caste. Later, he was forced to change the title of under-production film Sandiyar to Virumandi, after the first title ran afoul with Dalit outfits, including Puthiya Thamizhagam.

The same organisation protested against the film Maayi, which, they alleged, retold the 1957 caste riots in a way where the Thevar community is lionised while the Dalit side of the story is blacked out.

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