What is Parasakthi Row? Why Youth Congress is Seeking Ban on Sivakarthikeyan Film

Tamil Nadu Youth Congress has demanded a ban on Sivakarthikeyan’s film Parasakthi, calling it pro-DMK and anti-Hindu. The party alleges the film distorts history, especially events linked to Indira Gandhi and the 1965 anti-Hindi protests.

A major political controversy has erupted in Tamil Nadu over the recently released Tamil film Parasakthi, starring actor Sivakarthikeyan. The Tamil Nadu Youth Congress has demanded an immediate ban on the film, alleging that it distorts historical facts, promotes the DMK, and takes an anti-Hindu stand.

The party has accused the filmmakers of misrepresenting key events linked to the Congress and of deliberately portraying former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the Congress party in a negative light. The controversy has added a strong political edge to the film’s release, with reactions coming from both political and cinema circles.

Youth Congress demands ban on the film

The demand for a ban was made by Arun Bhaskar, senior vice president of the Tamil Nadu Youth Congress. He described Parasakthi as a “pro-DMK movie with a pro-Tamil and anti-Hindu stand” and claimed it spreads false narratives about the Congress.

According to Bhaskar, the film does not merely take creative liberty but intentionally alters history to damage the image of the Congress party. He said such portrayals could mislead younger audiences who may not be aware of historical facts.

Film background and release details

Parasakthi was released in theatres on January 10. The film is set against the backdrop of the 1960s student movements and anti-Hindi protests in Tamil Nadu. It is written and directed by Sudha Kongara Prasad and stars Sivakarthikeyan, Ravi Mohan, Atharvaa, and Sreeleela in lead roles.

The movie faced delays before release due to censor issues. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) reportedly ordered 25 cuts, and some scenes were marked as fictional. The makers later confirmed that the film received a U/A certificate and announced its worldwide theatrical release.

Objection over post office language claim

One of the main objections raised by the Youth Congress relates to a scene suggesting that post office forms were allowed only in Hindi during the Congress rule. Arun Bhaskar said this claim is completely false. He stated that in 1965, the Congress government never issued any order forcing people across states to fill post office forms only in Hindi. According to him, the scene was deliberately created to mislead viewers and malign the Congress party.

Dispute over depiction of Indira Gandhi

The Youth Congress has also strongly objected to scenes involving former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Bhaskar claimed that the film shows Sivakarthikeyan’s character meeting Indira Gandhi in Coimbatore on February 12, 1965, to oppose Hindi imposition.

He dismissed this scene as entirely fictional, saying Indira Gandhi never visited Coimbatore on that date. “This meeting did not happen at all,” he said, adding that such portrayals wrongly show the former Prime Minister in a poor light.

Train burning scene called baseless

Another scene that drew sharp criticism shows a burning train falling in front of Indira Gandhi. Arun Bhaskar described this sequence as utter nonsense with no link to real events.

He said the film falsely suggests that Indira Gandhi witnessed violent incidents and accepted signatures against Hindi imposition, which, according to him, never happened. “None of these events ever took place in history,” he said.

Serious allegation over Pollachi killings

Bhaskar also objected to the film’s climax, which flashes real photographs of Indira Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shastri, and K Kamaraj. He claimed the film accuses the Congress of shooting and killing more than 200 Tamil people in Pollachi.

Calling this allegation extremely serious, he said there is no evidence to support such a claim. He accused the filmmakers of irresponsibly using real historical figures to push false accusations.

Demand for apology and legal warning

The Youth Congress has strongly condemned the film and demanded the immediate removal of objectionable scenes. Arun Bhaskar also called for a public apology from the film’s production team.

He warned that strict legal action would be initiated if the film was not taken down or if the makers failed to apologise. He also urged Congress workers across Tamil Nadu to protest against what he described as injustice and historical distortion.

Kamal Haasan's praise for film’s political message

Earlier, actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan offered strong praise for Parasakthi. After watching the film, he wrote a letter to Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, sharing his views. Kamal Haasan said he did not expect the film to carry such strong political weight. He described Parasakthi as a 'mighty war drum' ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

He wrote that the film should succeed and called it a 'victorious tilak etched into the history of the DMK'. He also praised director Sudha Kongara and Sivakarthikeyan for choosing and committing to such a powerful story.

Cast, crew and audience response

Kamal Haasan congratulated the entire cast and crew, including Ravi Mohan, Atharvaa, Sreeleela, cinematographer Ravi K. Chandran, music composer G.V. Prakash, editor Sathish Suriya, and other technicians. He said they had become part of cinematic history.

Parasakthi has received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. While some praised its political message and performances, others questioned its historical accuracy. The film’s trailer, which shows Sivakarthikeyan as a coal tosser in Indian Railways, had already sparked debate due to its political tone.

(With ANI inputs)