Rajinikanth's latest outing 'Kaala' is embroiled in controversy after a family insisted that the story of the character Kaala Seth has been inspired by their father, a Tirunelveli leader who settled in Dharavi in the 50s.
Pa Ranjith has categorically denied the allegations. But, Vijayalakshmi Nadar, who is the daughter of Thiraviam Nadar, plans to file a civil suit seeking Re 1 in damages.
This comes just days after a legal notice was slapped on actor Rajinikanth by Thiraviam Nadar's son Jawahar Nadar.
Thiraviam Nadar is regarded as a Tamil leader and a don of Dharavi who worked along with Varadaraja Mudaliar and Haji Mastan.
Vijayalakshmi stated that when her father arrived in Dharavi, he found a few people making and selling illicit liquor. He too started brewing liquor from jaggery which gave him the moniker Gudwala Seth and also Kaala Seth as he had a dark complexion.
Referring to the animation sequences that narrated Kaala's past and that of his father Vengayan, Vijayalakshmi stated that it was similar to her father's work in Dharavi during his early years.
"He would just put four sticks to claim a piece of land. Back then, Dharavi was just a swamp. My father along with other men filled it up with sand and built it," she said in an interview to The Hindu.
Vijayalakshmi stated that she will be filing a civil suit and will also ask Ranjith for an acknowledgement that the film's script was inspired by her father.
Reacting to the news, director Pa Ranjith alleged that this was a publicity stunt and that the film was entirely fictional and not based on the person in question.
“Why should I comment on every such claim? This is purely for publicity. The film is not based on him at all. It is fictional, Pa Ranjith told The Hindu's Udhav Naig.