News Tamil Nadu

‘Purananooru’ Starring Virtue Signaler Suriya Is Anti-Oppression, Anti-Hindi Imposition Says Sudha Kongara Who Allegedly Stole ‘Irudhi Suttru’ Plot From Poor Real-Life Boxer; Had Distorted Air Deccan Founder’s Story To Peddle Dravidian Propaganda

July 5, 2024
The Commune

In an interview with film reviewer Baradwaj Rangan, film director Sudha Kongara revealed her latest film with Kollywood actor and virtue signaler Suriya’s next film titled Puranaanooru was ‘anti-system’ story (whatever that means). She said that it was an anti-system story set in the backdrop of “anti-Hindi imposition” agitations that happened in Tamil Nadu adding that the film strongly speaks about “anti-oppression”. She goes on to talk about the real-life boxer whose story she made into a film titled Irudhi Sutru.

Kongara goes on to talk about centuries of patriarchy and how the female boxer made it. She further added, “Every kind of separation and every kind of oppression and division exists, and you beat it, you do not sit and cry about it. So, this is also an anti-oppression kind of film.”

What Is The Reality of Irudhi Sutru?

In reality, Sudha Kongara has been accused of stealing the real-life story of ex-Boxer Thulasi and her sister Saraswathi to make ‘Irudhi Suttru’ (2016) without giving her credit, denying it was her story and even mildly threatening her.

In an interview with Aval Glitz, Thulasi says “I asked her why she did not add, “inspired by real incidents” or “Thulasi Saraswathi” in the credits because my sister and I are a part of the film. We told her that we did not ask her anything and yet she did not give us credit. She replied saying she heard the same story from over 100 people.”

Thulasi further retaliated against Sudha Kongara asking about specifics of the film which pertain to her life, but Kongara feigned ignorance.

Thulasi continues, “I went to meet her about 4 days after the film’s release, she was very busy and refused to meet her giving excuses. I said thank you and left.”

Thulasi adds, “I feel more hurt because of this than the physical punches I received when I boxed. They stole my entire life story and denied our existence. She even promised me a role in the film, and she said she would depict me as the coach but I came to know about the film when I saw a trailer on YouTube.“

Today, Thulasi drives an autorickshaw to make ends meet.

 

Strangely, Kongara credits a fictional Muthazhagu who inspired the character of Madhi (Thulasi’s role). She wrote on 26 November 2023, “Feb 2nd 2016. I got a call from Ameer Anna. I was driving outside Prasad Studios. I remember the exact moment because he was one of the first and few from the industry to call and praise me for Irudhi Suttru. I just told him one thing then, my Madhi is inspired by Muthazhugu. I went on and on about one of the greatest female characters written by a man! I had made both the actresses who played Madhi and later Bommi watch Paruthiveeran as a reference. And THIS is my homage to a master film maker of Tamil cinema. This is all I have to say.”

In the interview with Baradwaj Rangan, Kongara says, “Though I am a centrist, I do tend to lean a bit towards Left perhaps, and I do say that oppression is not okay. Man, woman, animal, child, transgender, anything. Oppression is not okay, rich poor, or whatever, one person trying to throttle another person is not okay. I felt that all my life.”

Ironically, the same Sudha Kongara who speaks about oppression and patriarchy and fighting to beat the system, has done the same to Thulasi.

Kongara also directed the film Soorarai Potru which claimed to depict the life of Simplifly Deccan (Air Deccan) founder Captain GR Gopinath but cunningly inserted the Dravidianist ideology into the film – he was depicted as a Periyarist fighting for social justice and the villains in the film were all, no prizes for guessing, Brahmins!

Interestingly, the Hindi version of the film’s song in Soorarai Potru was released on 4 July 2024. Comparing it with the Dravidianist Tamil version featuring EVR’s picture and a black shirt-borne Suriya, the Hindi version had nothing revolutionary.

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