Questions are being raised over whether Parasakthi, the upcoming Tamil film directed by Sudha Kongara and starring Sivakarthikeyan, will see a theatrical release in Hindi-speaking North Indian states. The film, which draws heavily from Dravidian political narratives and their anti-Hindi imposition, has become the subject of speculation after claims surfaced that Hindi distributors are unwilling to acquire its dubbed rights.
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What The Movie Is About
Set in the 1960s, the film is based on true events surrounding the 1965 anti-Hindi agitations. These were massive student-led protests against the Congress government’s push to make Hindi the sole official language. With Assembly Elections set to happen in a few months, the film is meant to peddle pro-DMK propaganda by whipping up linguistic passions. It also sanitizes and whitewashes the role of EV Ramasamy Naicker (hailed as ‘Periyar’ by his followers) who had opposed the 1965 anti-Hindi agitation and made acerbic remarks against the protestors.
Release Hurdles
While the film’s makers have not officially commented on the issue, there has been no announcement so far regarding a Hindi release, even as the Pongal 2026 release window approaches. Industry observers note that big-ticket Tamil films with pan-India ambitions usually secure or at least announce North Indian distribution well in advance, something conspicuously absent in the case of Parasakthi.
The speculation gained traction amid claims that the film’s ideological positioning could make it commercially unviable in Hindi-speaking markets.
Parasakthi reportedly foregrounds themes drawn from Tamil anti-Hindi agitations and Dravidian political narratives – themes that historically have had limited resonance, and in some cases outright resistance, outside Tamil Nadu.
Social media chatter has also linked the uncertainty surrounding the Hindi market to unrelated project exits attributed to Sivakarthikeyan, though no official confirmation exists to support such claims. Nevertheless, the absence of clarity has only added to the perception that the film’s appeal may be regionally confined.
Compounding the issue are reports — yet to be officially denied — that Parasakthi faced objections during the certification process, particularly with respect to scenes referencing anti-Hindi movements. The makers are alleged to have approached the revising committee of the Central Board of Film Certification, suggesting that even within India, the film’s content may be considered politically sensitive. Reddit users speculate that the CBFC removed scenes and dialogues in Parasakthi related to the ‘Hindi imposition’ issue and reportedly led to the team sending the film to the revising committee.
Notably, while the film is backed by production and distribution entities closely aligned with the ruling political ecosystem in Tamil Nadu, there has been no indication of a coordinated push to take the film beyond the State. Critics argue that this silence itself is telling, especially for a project projected as a large-scale political drama.
At this stage, the makers have neither confirmed nor denied plans for a Hindi release. Until such clarity emerges, claims that Parasakthi will not find takers in the Hindi belt remain speculative but the lack of distributor announcements, coupled with the film’s ideological framing, continues to fuel questions about its pan-India prospects.
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