Defamation case filed against actor Kamal Haasan

A defamation case has been filed against actor Kamal Haasan at a Chennai court. Haasan, who hosts the Tamil version of popular TV reality show ‘Bigg Boss’, has been accused of hurting a particular community’s sentiment in the July 14 episode of the show.

Filed at the metropolitan magistrate court in Chennai, the complaint states that a certain acts during the episode degraded the respect of ‘Nadaswaram’, a musical instrument which is worshiped by god as the Isai Vellalar community. K R Kuhesh, president of the community, explained how Tamil actor Shakthi threw the instrument to one hand from another in a nonchalant manner. (Also Read: Kamal Haasan unaffected by ‘anti-Hindu’ label in the ‘Bigg Boss’ Tamil controversy)

It further states that the instrument was kept on the dining table while the participants went on to have food; which further damaged the sentiment of the community.

The petitioner accused the channel and the ‘Bigg Boss’ of intentionally degrading the ‘Nadaswaram’ in order to achieve more TRP, and therefore, resulting in defamation of the said community.

Earlier, a radical Hindu group had called a ban on Haasan’s show, labelling him as ‘anti Hindu’. The actor, however, remained unaffected.

“This, I’ve to admit, was unexpected. ‘Bigg Boss’ and its foreign version ‘Big Brother’ have been an accepted format for television for as long as we remember. ‘Bigg Boss’ has been telecast in India in Hindi for 11 years. It’s not likely to induce paroxysms of cultural hysteria in Tamilians who are familiar with the show. It’s a reality-show format accepted the world over. I see no cultural or ideological clash between us and them in the show. And, I haven’t come across anyone doing anything anti-national on the show,” he said.

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Ranjini Maitra

Journalist. Writer. Reader. Enthu cutlet. Mood-swing machine. Day dreamer. Sandwiched between ‘live life fully’ and ‘lose some weight’. Mantra of life: Love and love more.