Kamal Haasan, the actor and politician, is facing a death threat in response to his recent contentious statements concerning Sanatana Dharma. The controversy ignited at an event celebrating the 15th anniversary of actor Suriya’s Agaram Foundation, where Haasan criticized the central government’s NEET examination, labeling it an adverse outcome of Sanatana Dharma that has purportedly harmed aspiring doctors. This triggered significant backlash, including a death threat from television actor Ravichandran.
Haasan, a Rajya Sabha MP and founder of the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), emphasized that education is pivotal in societal change, acting as a weapon to dismantle dictatorship and Sanatana. His remarks immediately drew strong political reactions. The Tamil Nadu unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a boycott of Haasan’s films, urging Hindus to avoid his work on various platforms. BJP state secretary Amar Prasad Reddy compared Haasan’s statements to those of Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, claiming both aim to undermine Sanatana Dharma. Senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan also condemned Haasan, accusing him of insulting Hindu sentiments.
The situation escalated when Ravichandran, in a YouTube interview, called Haasan a ‘naive politician’ and threatened to harm him over the comments. Haasan has faced prior controversy, notably earlier this year when his remark that Kannada originated from Tamil led to a ban on his film ‘Thug Life’ in Karnataka and considerable public disapproval.