In the wake of Mari Selvaraj’s Maamannan receiving wide praise from audiences and critics alike, director Pa Ranjith has spoken out on the politics of the film. Maamannan stars actor-producer and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) minister Udhayanidhi Stalin. Congratulating Udhayanidhi and Mari Selvaraj, Pa Ranjith said, “As an actor, producer and minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin truly deserves praise. He himself must be aware of the immense challenge of caste discrimination within the DMK. We believe that through this movie [Maamannan] Udhayanidhi will take the first step toward abolishing discrimination inside the party.”
The plot of Maamannan revolves around a Dalit MLA (Vadivelu) who is discriminated against by members of his own party on the basis of his caste. This fictional party in the film claims that social justice is one of its core tenants. For audiences familiar with the DMK’s electoral promise of social justice, Maamannan appeared to be a criticism of the real-life party’s failures towards addressing casteism within its own ranks. There is also criticism against the state’s other leading Dravidian party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), of failing the Tamil Nadu’s Dalit communities.
It is in this context that director Ranjith also tweeted, “The film Maamannan vividly portrays how Dalit MLAs are discriminated against by upper-caste members of even political parties who claim that social justice is one of their principles. In reality, what is the actual power that MLAs from reserved constituencies have? Why are these MLAs afraid to voice the concerns of Dalit people? What is the reason for them to remain silent despite belonging to political parties that speak social justice? Maamannan is an answer to these questions.”
மாமன்னன் திரைப்படம், பட்டியலின மக்களின் சட்டமன்ற உறுப்பினர்கள், சமூக நீதியை கொள்கையாக கொண்டுள்ள அரசியல் கட்சியாக இருந்தாலும், கட்சியில் உள்ள மற்ற உயர் வகுப்பினர் சாதி அடிப்படையில் ஏற்றத்தாழ்வுகளை அவர்களுக்கு எப்படி நிகழ்த்துகிறார்கள் என்பதை அப்பட்டமாக காட்சிப்படுத்தி இருக்கிறது.…
— pa.ranjith (@beemji) July 3, 2023
DMK supporters on Twitter were quick to take offence to Ranjith’s tweet, with many trolling the director with abusive posts. Hours after the incident, Udhayanidhi also took to Twitter to reply to the concerns put forward by Ranjith.
“I thank my friend and director Pa Ranjith for his praise of Maamannan. Not only within the DMK, but within any party caste-based oppression and hierarchy must be completely eradicated. The DMK is working towards ensuring self-respect for all and towards creating awareness among people. Every time the party [DMK] has come to power, social justice has been given central importance in the laws and schemes brought out, and the party continues to fight for this in the political field. Our leader [MK Stalin] who is following in the footsteps of Anna Durai and Kalaignar [M Karunanidhi] is continuing this fight.”
Udhayanidhi also referred to the Sivaji Ganesan-starrer Parasakthi (1952), an important ideological film for the DMK that was scripted by Karunanidhi, and said that from then until Maamannan, the DMK has also worked towards spreading the idea of social justice through culture.
`மாமன்னன்' திரைப்படத்தைப் பாராட்டிய இயக்குநர் சகோதரர் பா.இரஞ்சித் அவர்களுக்கு நன்றி. சாதிய அடக்குமுறைகளும் - ஏற்றத்தாழ்வும் கழகம் மட்டுமல்ல, எந்த கட்சிக்குள் இருந்தாலும் அது அறவே ஒழிக்கப்பட வேண்டும்.
— Udhay (@Udhaystalin) July 3, 2023
அனைவருக்குமான சுயமரியாதையை உறுதி செய்ய, தொடர் பரப்புரை செய்து மக்களிடையே… https://t.co/i3FAanRGca
He further added, “Sanathana Dharma is a thousand years old. The fight against it for equality is hundreds of years old. It is a fight that is still ongoing. All of us must be aware that it is impossible to turn society upside down through just one film. It is possible to bring about this change among the people by following the footsteps of Periyar and Ambedkar. Let us come together to journey towards this.” Udhayanidhi ended with, “I thank my friend Ranjith for his trust in me and in the party in making this journey.”