Tamil film reviewer Kalilur Rahman has sparked controversy after launching a sharp religious attack on Sanatana Dharma while reviewing the recently released Telugu film Akhanda 2: Thaandavam, branding his commentary as a “Sanatana Sanghi Roast.”
In his review, Rahman alleged that the film was deliberately constructed to appeal to North Indian audiences by embedding what he described as overt Hindutva symbolism throughout its narrative. He claimed that references to cows, Sanatana Dharma, and national political imagery were inserted repeatedly “across the entire running length of the film, like a pickle one keeps dipping into.”
Referring to specific scenes, Rahman said that cows appeared prominently throughout the film, including a sequence where the Prime Minister is shown caressing a cow. He further pointed to scenes in the protagonist’s household where a cow is treated “like a member of the family,” receiving affection and reverence. According to him, the film “proudly talks about Sanatana Dharma” but selectively avoids discussing what he characterised as its hierarchical elements.
Rahman argued that while the film celebrates Sanatana Dharma symbolically, it allegedly omits references to caste hierarchy. Citing the Manusmriti, he claimed that the film “forgot to explain” divisions based on birth, remarking sarcastically about depictions of people born from the head, shoulders, and feet being placed in a rigid hierarchy. He accused the filmmakers of selectively portraying religious concepts while avoiding aspects that could invite criticism.
During the review, Rahman also played a clip from the film featuring lead actor Nandamuri Balakrishna, who is seen saying, “I am not an educated man. I will only say what I know.” Rahman used the line to reinforce his argument that the film openly embraces what he called a “Sanghi agenda.”
He further alleged that references to Hindutva politics and Sanatana Dharma were inserted even where the story did not demand them. “Whether the story needs it or not, in every single scene they somehow drag it in and connect it to Hindutva politics or to Sanatana Dharma,” he said.
The review, released under the thumbnail “Sanatana Sanghi Roast,” has triggered backlash on social media, with critics accusing Rahman of using film criticism as a vehicle for attacking Hindu religious beliefs. Supporters of the film argue that such commentary reflects a broader pattern in Tamil Nadu’s cultural discourse, where criticism of Sanatana Dharma and Hindu traditions often draws little consequence.
Akhanda 2: Thaandavam, directed as a sequel to the 2021 film Akhanda, was released in cinemas on 12 December 2025 after its original 5 December release date was postponed. The film stars Nandamuri Balakrishna in a dual role as Akhanda Rudra Sikandar Aghora and Murali Krishna, with Samyuktha Menon as the female lead, Aadhi Pinisetty as the primary antagonist, and Harshaali Malhotra in a key role.
Kalilur Rahman’s Akhanda 2 roast with “commentary” on Sanatana Dharma.
Source: Second Show pic.twitter.com/IvFxlPHtv4
— Kalkidasan (தமிழ் லேப்ஸ்) (@kalkidasan) December 21, 2025
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