Kamal Haasan’s Vettaiyaadu Vilayaadu was re-released in Chennai on June 23, 17 years after its original release but some fans were not happy. While the remastered version of the movie still drew crowds to theatres, some of them have rightfully called out a scene that did not age well. In the movie, Kamal Haasan plays a police officer who is on the hunt for a serial killer duo Amudhan (Daniel Balaji) and Ilamaran (Salim Baig). When he confronts Amudhan, a visibly disgusted Raghavan (Kamal) asks, “On his [Ilamaran] back, there is a tattoo of your name and there is a heart below that. Are you both homosexuals?”, to which Amudhan looks visibly angry.
The aforementioned clip has been widely circulated on Twitter with people calling out Kamal Haasan and the movie’s director Gautham Vasudev Menon for retaining the scene during the re-release. One Twitter user who goes by the name @sylviareydel shared a personal experience from when the movie first came out. He said, “Watched this movie with my schoolmates and when this scene came ,they were laughing at me and started calling my name in front of whole theatre audience ..I was so embarrassed and couldn’t react.Kamal and his homophobia (sic).”
Watched this movie with my school mates and when this scene came ,they were laughing at me and started calling my name in front of whole theatre audience ..I was so embarrassed and couldn’t react.Kamal and his homophobia https://t.co/4Z8lRDrZo3
— Sundar ️ (@sylviareydel) June 28, 2023
Another Twitter user, who goes by the name @livingsmile pointed out the irony of retaining the scene in June, which happens to be pride month. They said, “Thank you Kamal Hasaan and Gautam Vasudev Menon for bringing this epic Amudan-Ilamaran gay joke. Atleast in the second release you could’ve edited this. But no! Homophobic then, Homophobic now!! Thanks for ruining the pride!!”
Thank you @ikamalhaasan @menongautham for bringing this epic Amudan-ilamaran gay joke. Atleast in the second release you could’ve edited this. But no! Homophobic then, Homophobic now!! Thanks for ruining the pride!! https://t.co/szOewHJC1k
— Living Smile (@livingsmile) June 28, 2023
Some Twitter users called out not only the makers of Vettaiyaadu Vilayaadu but also the fans who were cheering when the scene was played in the theatres. “The way people were cheering for these dialogues was disturbing. They definitely should have cut these out for this re-release,” said a Twitter user by the name @dazed_draper, while reacting to a clip in which the audience can be seen applauding the dialogue.
The way people were cheering for these dialogues was disturbing. they definitely should have cut these out for this re-release. Idhula 'alaral' nu perumai vera, idiots https://t.co/fY5riMVTgU
— Merlyn | Alter Ego (@dazed_draper) June 28, 2023
the weight and pain this scene carries for tamil queers who grew up hearing this reaction to this scene is almost inconsolable. hearing it receive the same reaction years later without it being cut is almost unforgivable. https://t.co/jBIFDI8O7N
— சுந்தர் v (@chummasiri) June 29, 2023
Asusal homophobic tamil film.
— Sarathy G (He/Him) ️ (@sarathy__g) June 29, 2023
Shame on you @ikamalhaasan https://t.co/FsN6RhP4Rg
This is a very small dialogue in the movie, but the negative impact it has created on the LGBT+ community from 2006 until now is huge. You guys could have easily removed it in the re-release version.
— Gokul Subramaniam ️ (@bacardi_rasam) June 28, 2023
@menongautham @ikamalhaasan#VettaiyaaduVilaiyaadu #LGBTQIAIndia https://t.co/qDZ0hytGPa