Actor-director Ranjith sparked a row on Saturday following the release of his action film Kavundampalayam.
In a presser regarding the film, Ranjith said parents feeling agonised over their daughters eloping is justified as they are worried for their children's future. "The anger parents express over their daughters' love affair is similar to that of a person whose bike is stolen. Will the bike owner not be riled about the thief? If losing a materialistic possession can cause such anger, aren't children the lifeline of parents? So their anger comes from a place of care and it is not intended to cause violence or riots," he said.
His statement drew backlash from several sections, calling it a justification for caste-based honour killings.
Ranjith added that people opposing his film are not right, as the CBFC issued a certificate and has greenlit its release. If there are some who don't approve of my ideology, they are free to skip watching.
In the last week of July, the Madras High Court observed that certain fringe groups cannot act as a 'super censor board' and threaten cinema theatres not to screen the film. Certain groups raised objection against Kavundampalayam as it deals with parent's anguish over their children's love relationship. The HC added that the CBFC is the final authority to decide if a film is fit to be screened or not.