News Tamil Nadu

Kollywood Virtue-Signallers Silent On DMK’s Drug Scandal After Vocal Criticism On Everything Under The Sun During ADMK Era

March 11, 2024
Satheesh

The ongoing DMK drug scandal has taken center stage for the last ten days, gaining extensive coverage on social media and news outlets. Yesterday, the alleged drug peddling mastermind, Jaffar Sadiq, was apprehended. Interestingly, during the previous ADMK government, even a minor hiccup would prompt Kollywood actors and directors to vociferously express their opinions through the media or their social media platforms, making the news sensational by sharply questioning the government. However, surprisingly, these self-proclaimed champions of virtue have been conspicuously silent under the current regime. The pertinent question arises: where are these outspoken voices now?

Prominent voices supporting the DMK, including actors Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Suriya, Karthi, Sathyaraj, Director Vetrimaaran, Pa Ranjith, and Mari Selvaraj, have been gone missing.

Rajinikanth

Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, widely known as Rajinikanth, has consistently maintained a close association with the first family of DMK, displaying a notable silence on the current matter. The relationship between DMK and Rajinikanth has been marked by mutual support, with both sides consistently expressing well wishes and meeting each other. Notably, during the inauguration of the late Karunanidhi’s mausoleum, Rajinikanth was the singular representative from the film industry, highlighting his close ties with DMK. He referred to the mausoleum as “Wonderful, Charming,” emphasizing its significance as not just Kalaignar Samadhi but also likening it to Kalaignar Taj Mahal.

Rajini consistently remained indifferent to film reviews and refrained from endorsing movies. However, he took a special initiative for the film “Maamannan,” in which the film was written and directed by Mari Selvaraj a D-stock, starred and produced by  Udhayanidhi Stalin of Red Giant Movies a DMK Scion. Rajini personally commended the team, stating, “A wonderful work by Mari Selvaraj emphasizing equality. My sincere appreciation to him. My congratulations to Vadivelu, Udhayanidhi and Bhagat Basil for their excellent performances.”

Rajinikanth extending his wishes to the DMK and their families and reciprocating warm regards from them are detailed in the below posts.

Rajinikanth appears to have been more vocal on critical issues, especially social and political matters in Tamil Nadu, prior to 2020 rather than after 2021 (when the DMK came to power). During that time, he strongly commented on the custodial death case of the Santhankulam father-son duo, emphasizing the need for truth and justice with the hashtag #TruthfullyYouShouldNotLeaveThem. Simultaneously, he criticized the ADMK government, urging them to explore alternative revenue sources instead of relying on liquor (TASMAC) profits, or else forget about returning to power.

Hasn’t Rajinikanth, the so-called social crusader, been informed about the recent drug prevalence news? Isn’t the rampant spread of drugs in Tamil Nadu a matter of concern for him? The same person who spoke out against TASMAC during the ADMK era – will he raise similar questions to his friend DMK’s Stalin or his brother Udhayanidhi Stalin? Will he inquire about the alleged connections between the DMK and the international drug kingpin Jaffar Sadiq, who previously served as the DMK Chennai NRI wing in charge? Strangely, there is utter silence on these issues.

Kamal Haasan

Kamal Haasan, a part-time politician, full-time actor, and the leader of Makkal Needhi Maiam, is known for addressing diverse social issues through advocacy in various interviews. However, his social media presence primarily revolves around sharing condolences or expressing concern specifically in cases of bus accidents or or similar tragedies. Interestingly, there seems to be a noticeable absence of awareness or commentary on events in Tamil Nadu, especially after the DMK assumed power.

Even when he ventures beyond his comfort zone and criticizes his allies in power, the DMK, he does so with a distinctly harsh friendly tone, as exemplified by statements like this, “I welcome the announcement by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu that the action on the proposed 12-hour work in factories is being suspended. I appreciate Mr. Stalin emphasis on what is being said rather than who is saying it and respecting the reasonable opinions of the alternative side and the feelings of the people are the hallmarks of a healthy government. I request you to permanently cancel the notification of 12 hours work”

Just a mere four days ago, there was an unforeseen twist in events when Kamal Haasan issued a statement strongly condemning the drug issue in Tamil Nadu. He connected the problem to various instances across different states, surprising everyone.

Everyone, including his party members and supporters, believed that ‘Aandavar’ (a nickname given to Kamal Haasan) was making a strong comeback reminiscent of his impactful role in the movie “Vikram.” The anticipation was that Kamal Haasan would expose the drug syndicate, administer justice to those involved, and leverage the incident to gain political momentum, ultimately securing victory in the Lok Sabha election. However, as usual he aligned himself with the same party, DMK, which had a person linked to drug smuggling in charge of Chennai, all for the nomination of a mere single Rajya Sabha seat.

In 2018 too he courageously established his own political party, dispelling notions of alignment with any particular group. Initially, his stance resonated as genuine, with occasional criticisms directed at both Dravidian parties as he positioned himself as a viable third front. However, he pledged his party and the trust of his supporters for the sake of securing a nominated MP seat in the Rajya Sabha.

His perspectives appeared ambiguous and indecisive, mirroring his dialogues in the movie where, when asked if he is good or bad, he responds with uncertainty. Much like a flock that initially strays but eventually returns to its nest, he executed various maneuvers only to align himself, in the end, with his parent’s party, the DMK.

Suriya & Karthi Sivakumar

Suriya Sivakumar, a strong supporter of the DMK, previously voiced his support for causes such as “Hindi Theriyadhu Poda,” anti-NEET advocacy, and condemned the Sathankulam custodial death during the ADMK regime. However, he is now noticeably silent. Notably, he didn’t speak out during the DMK regime concerning the Vengayvayal incident, and he remains silent even now regarding the drug busts taking place in various locations in Tamil Nadu. The question arises whether this silence reflects a deliberate choice or a decision to turn a blind eye to certain issues.

There’s not much to be said about Suriya SivaKumar or Karthi Sivakumar; they lack proficiency in both acting and storytelling. Suriya’s typical approach involves fostering social division, creating an upper-lower divide, and ultimately relying on a hero with a secular Dravidian ideology to rescue the situation, But karthi’s style diverges significantly from that of his brother, Suriya. Primarily he inclined towards comedy, Karthi tends to inject sarcasm into his roles, often overshadowing the entire script that leaves the audience frustrated, who paid 200 rupees to watch the film. It’s rather unfortunate, isn’t it?

Their survival hinges on a combination of nepotism and a complex caste background, with individuals who both belong to and perpetuate the same system often taking on roles as actors, producers, and directors within family. This is notably facilitated when the ruling government in Tamil Nadu is the DMK, as individuals associated with the Dravidian lineage tend to receive government awards. As an example, Jothika, the wife of Suriya, recently received an award from the Tamil Nadu government for her 2015 film “36 Vayathinile,” despite its perceived lack of substance. This movie, portrayed by Dravidian media as a pro-women empowerment film, raises questions about the criteria used for such accolades.

Sathyaraj

Sathyaraj, a well-known supporter of the DMK, attempted to deflect attention from the ongoing issues in Tamil Nadu by delivering a provocative speech just five days ago. Despite his efforts, the speech failed to gain viral attention. At a time when the state was buzzing with news of drug-related incidents linked to the DMK, Sathyaraj emerged unexpectedly to deliver a speech. In Tamil Nadu, all religions coexist harmoniously, and it would be foolish to exploit religious differences for political gains. Sathyaraj  remarked that while there may be a religious storm brewing in the North, in Tamil Nadu, it is  “Madappuyal” (Foolish storm). Further he expressed concerns about outsiders attempting to influence food (beef) choices, highlighting the danger in such trends.

Director Vetrimaaran, Pa Ranjith, Mari Selvaraj

Finally, three directors with distinct filmmaking styles appear to converge on a shared objective: promoting the Dravidian ideology, deriding structured Hindu beliefs, tarnishing the image of Brahmins, and unwaveringly supporting the DMK under all circumstances. Mari Selvaraj and Vetrimaaran subtly infuse their political ideologies into their films, while Pa. Ranjith, lacking the same finesse, occasionally expresses his political views in moments of anger, leading to scrutiny and trolling by netizens.

It is noteworthy that Vetrimaaran himself has been seen to be closely associated with Ameer and the druglord Jaffer Sadiq.

At present, amidst the ongoing drug busts in Tamil Nadu, it’s likely that the trio is contemplating the creation of a high-budget film centered around the themes of gangsters, guns, and drugs with the backing of the DMK or they might be deliberately distancing themselves from the drug issue altogether.

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