Director Mohan G’s Draupathi 2, which opened in theatres on Friday, has landed in fresh controversy even before its theatrical release, with reports confirming that the film has been barred from screening in Qatar. The development comes close on the heels of Dhurandhar facing a similar fate in the country.
Mohan G, who made his directorial debut with Pazhaiya Vannarapettai, has since carved out a distinct space in Tamil cinema with films such as Draupathi, Rudra Thandavam and Bakasuran. Known for embedding strong political and social viewpoints into his work, the filmmaker has frequently drawn criticism for his ideological stance and his portrayal of certain communities and historical narratives. Despite repeated backlash, Mohan G has consistently defended his films and opinions through press interactions and public statements.
Even prior to its release, Draupathi 2 has been surrounded by disputes. The film first grabbed attention when singer Chinmayi revealed that she would not have agreed to sing for it had she been aware of the project’s context. Mohan G subsequently demanded an apology from her, and the song in question was later re-recorded with Padmalatha.
The controversy has now taken an international turn. Following the ban on Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar, the Qatar authorities have reportedly blocked Draupathi 2 as well, dealing a blow to the film’s overseas release prospects. Adding to this, reports from Studio Flicks claim that the ban is not limited to Qatar alone, with a few other Muslim-majority countries also denying clearance to the film. The decision is said to be linked to the film’s depiction of historical events, including references to alleged atrocities by Mughal rulers against Tamil populations, which officials reportedly felt could be sensitive or inappropriate.
Draupathi 2 stars Richard Rishi, Rakshana Induchoodan, Natty Nataraj and Chirag Jani in lead roles. The film is backed by Sola Shakkaravarthi under the Netaji Productions banner along with GM Film Corporation. The ensemble cast also includes Vela Ramamoorthy, Dinesh Lamba, Ganesh Gourang, Y Gee Mahendran, Barani, Deviyani Sharma, Divi, Saravanan Subbiah and Jayavel, among others.
On the technical front, Draupathi 2 has music composed by Ghibran, cinematography by Philip R Sundar, editing by Devaraj, action choreography by Action Santosh, and art direction by Kamalnathan.
