Madras High Court heard the Jai Bhim case today and ruled against taking any strict action on actor Suriya till the next hearing. Back in 2021, Vanniyar Sangam filed a case against the makers of Jai Bhim, alleging a negative portrayal of their community in the film.
Jai Bhim, directed by T J Gnanavel, streamed on Amazon Prime India on 5 August 2021. Suriya played the central protagonist while also acting as a producer for the film along with his wife, actress Jyothika, under the banner of 2D entertainment. The film is based on a real-life incident that spawned a case, fought by Justice K Chandru. The central conflict is about a man from the Irular tribe being wrongly convicted by the police.
Following the film’s release, members of the Vanniyar community spotted scenes that they alleged had portrayed their community in the wrong light. Following a huge backlash, a case was officially filed against the makers by the Vanniyar Sangam. The courtroom drama gained critical as well as commercial praise for its depiction of a sensitive issue. After a year of its streaming release, the film is reported to get a theatrical release on Suriya’s birthday which falls on 23 July.