On November 6, 2026, Kamal Haasan announced that his 237th film will be titled Sandiyar. The name was first chosen in 2003 for the project that later became Virumaandi. Protests forced him to drop it back then. Within hours of the new announcement, the same political party that led the 2003 objections raised its voice again. This is the full story of what happened then and what is happening now.
What Kamal Haasan Announced
The title Sandiyar was confirmed by Raaj Kamal Films International on November 6, 2026, a day before the actor’s 72nd birthday. The film was previously referred to as KH237. SU Arun Kumar, known for Chithha and Veera Dheera Sooran, is directing the project. This is the first time Kamal Haasan and SU Arun Kumar are working together.
The first-look poster shows Kamal Haasan with close-cropped grey hair, a thick grey-and-white moustache, and a submachine gun in his hand. He stands beside a vehicle with blood marks on the door and interior. The poster carries the line: “Revenge can only be settled in blood.” A second poster released on his birthday shows him holding a pistol with the text “6 ROUNDS, ZERO MERCY”.
Shooting began on November 7, 2026, the actor’s birthday, in Chengalpattu near Chennai. Large sets recreating Madurai streets have been built for the first schedule. The team is expected to move to Madurai after Pongal, around mid-January 2027.
The film is produced by Kamal Haasan and R Mahendran under Raaj Kamal Films International and Turmeric Media. Anirudh Ravichander is composing the music, continuing his work with Kamal Haasan after Vikram and Indian 2. Anbariv is handling the action choreography. Sunil K S is the cinematographer, C S Balachander is the production designer, and Amritha Ram is the costume designer.
The film is described as a rural revenge action drama set in Madurai. A release window of 2027 has been mentioned by multiple outlets, but no exact date has been announced. The full cast and detailed storyline have not been revealed.
What the Word Sandiyar Means
The Tamil word Sandiyar is commonly translated as a rowdy, thug, or troublemaker. It has also been used to describe a person with valour or a glorified hero. In the southern districts of Tamil Nadu, the term has a more specific social meaning. It has been linked to the Thevar community, a dominant caste group in the region, and to the aruval or sickle culture.
The 2003 objections were not only about the dictionary meaning. Critics argued that the title could celebrate a figure who uses physical dominance over others. K Krishnasamy, founder of the pro-Dalit party Puthiya Tamizhagam, said the word described people who are violent in nature and exercise physical dominance over marginalised communities. He warned that it could encourage Thevar or Maravar youth in southern Tamil Nadu to assert dominance over other communities.
The 2003 Protests That Changed the Title
The first Sandiyar was announced in 2003 as Kamal Haasan’s third directorial project. Posters showed him holding a sickle. K Krishnasamy objected, saying the title glorified caste-based violence and could bring back the aruval culture, which he said had claimed many lives in Tamil Nadu. He warned that he would disrupt the shooting.
Shooting began in Theni district, but the protests disrupted production. The film unit was moved from Madurai to Chennai. The police refused to provide protection for the crew. J Jayalalithaa, then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, also refused what she called “protracted” police protection for a film unit that she said had “deliberately” chosen a controversial subject.
Kamal Haasan defended the script at the time. He told the media:
“There are no casteist references in the script. I don’t know what this is all about.”
He met Jayalalithaa in June 2003 to seek a solution. After the meeting, he announced that he would drop the title. The Chief Minister later told reporters that “films are made for entertainment, and not for creating problems” and that the police had other matters to attend to.
Kamal Haasan explained his decision with his usual humour. An old video of his comments has resurfaced online:
“They say the film should not be named Sandiyar because brother Krishnasamy might get upset. If we choose another name, someone else might have a problem with that too.”
He also said the film would work under any name. The Hindu reported him saying:
“Even if it is named ‘Sakalakalavallavan-II’, it would have a good run. For, the story is good.”
How the 2003 Row Ended
The title was changed to Virumaandi. The film was released in 2004. Kamal Haasan wrote, directed, and played the lead role. Virumaandi received wide critical praise and became a major commercial success. Reports at the time said it grossed almost โน50 crore worldwide.
The story did not end there. In 2014, another Tamil film titled Sandiyar was released. It featured Jagan, Kayal, and Nayakam. That film did not face any controversy.
The New Objections in 2026
Puthiya Tamizhagam has opposed the new title as well. Its leader K Krishnasamy spoke to reporters in Coimbatore on November 7, 2026. He demanded that the film should not be made or screened in Tamil Nadu under the title Sandiyar. He objected to the blood-soaked promotional images and warned that the film could make caste tensions worse. He also questioned Kamal Haasan’s responsibility as a Member of Parliament and a political party leader. His remarks included:
“Kamal may be a fine actor, but he is an irresponsible actor.”
The party’s warning was reported in stronger terms by some outlets:
“The film will neither be allowed to commence shooting nor be released in theatres!”
Filmmaker Lenin Bharathi, known for Merku Thodarchi Malai, also criticised the film’s promotional messaging. He questioned the need to repeatedly glorify violence through cinema, especially when violent incidents in society are a growing concern. He wrote on X that producing a film titled Sandiyar, a term he said incites caste fanaticism and hooliganism, was an act without social responsibility, especially from a senior artist like Kamal Haasan.
Kamal Haasan and Raaj Kamal Films International have not responded to the new objections.
The Team Behind the New Sandiyar
SU Arun Kumar made his directorial debut with Pannaiyarum Padminiyum in 2014, starring Vijay Sethupathi. He worked with the same actor again on Sethupathi in 2016 and Sindhubaadh in 2019. He then directed Chithha in 2023 with Siddharth and Veera Dheera Sooran in 2025 with Vikram. Sandiyar is his sixth film as a director.
The technical crew includes Sunil K S as the cinematographer, who worked on Aadujeevitham and Kammara Sambavam. Anbariv, the National Award-winning stunt duo, has worked on Vikram and RDX. C S Balachander is the production designer, and Amritha Ram is the costume designer.
The film is expected to present Kamal Haasan in a realistic, middle-aged look. Reports say the project does not require the CGI de-ageing technology used in some of his recent big-budget films. Director SU Arun Kumar is aiming for a grounded style that stays close to the rural setting of the story.
What Fans Are Saying
Social media reactions have been mixed. Some fans celebrated the return of the title. One user wrote:
“Sandiyar was the first title for Virumaandi (2004). Changed due to political reasons. And now, after 22 years, KH got it back.”
Another fan wrote in Tamil:
“Oru vazhiya epdiyo Sandiyar nu title vachitaatru paa Aandavar uh!” (Finally, somehow, Aandavar has titled his film Sandiyar!)
Comments on the first-look poster included “God is back” and “After 22 yearssssssssssss”.
Other users raised concerns about the title, recalling the earlier controversy and its association with caste and violence. The divided reactions have made the announcement a major talking point.
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Shooting for Sandiyar is underway in Chengalpattu. The team plans to move to Madurai for an outdoor schedule after Pongal, around mid-January 2027. Kamal Haasan has reportedly set aside 45 to 50 continuous days for his portions. The makers have not announced a release date beyond saying the film is scheduled for next year. No response has been issued by the actor or his production house to the objections raised by Puthiya Tamizhagam or Lenin Bharathi.
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