Silence can be violence, says Actor Suriya

‘Jai Bhim’ hit the OTT platform Amazon Prime Video this Diwali and is already receiving positive reviews from the audience and critics alike. The Tamil-language legal drama film, directed by TJ Gnanavel, is based on a true police brutality incident in 1993, which involves a case fought by Justice K Chandru from the Madras High […]

‘Jai Bhim’ hit the OTT platform Amazon Prime Video this Diwali and is already receiving positive reviews from the audience and critics alike. The Tamil-language legal drama film, directed by TJ Gnanavel, is based on a true police brutality incident in 1993, which involves a case fought by Justice K Chandru from the Madras High Court.

The film that was shot amidst the Covid-19 waves focuses on Sengani and Rajakannu, a couple from the Irular tribe. The latter was wrongly convicted by the police and goes missing from the police station. Sengani seeks the help of advocate Chandru to seek justice for her husband.

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The film is produced by 2D Entertainment and stars Suriya, Prakash Raj, Rajisha Vijayan, Lijomol Jose, Rao Ramesh, and K Manikandan. Suriya read advocate Chandru’s book, which was a huge reason behind him filming ‘Jai Bhim’. The title is an ode to BR Ambedkar, who has been an inspiration to Chandru.

“To the oppressed people, the last resort to get justice is through the law. In Tamil, there’s a saying that the law is always a dark room and the advocate’s argument is a small lamp. And this lamp never reaches the poor,” shares Suriya, who essays the role of Chandru.

“I have known Chandru sir for the past 12-14 years. Heroism in movies is nothing compared to what he has done in real life. He is an unassuming person and you would never guess that he is the only advocate who has disposed of over 96,000 cases. It means he has changed the lives of that many people. His journey started off at the age of 16-17 and he was part of court arguments even before he was a lawyer. He always takes up cases of the oppressed people and never charges a penny,” shares Suriya about Chandru.

On playing an advocate, the actor says, “Playing a lawyer, I felt really powerful. My body language has been inspired by Chandru’s real-life incidents, his personality, and the way he lived his life. The High Court set-up has been shown for the first time on-screen in our film and you are not supposed to move around in the courtroom. So, yes, my movements were restricted but I tried giving my best.”

Suriya feels it is important to enhance the taste of the audiences with films like ‘Jai Bhim’. “I have done many films only thinking through my mind, but this film is from my heart. True stories will bring in true changes in the society, and I would love to bring to life more real stories. Apart from just providing entertainment, sometimes one movie can change your thought process completely. Films can be weapons of change,” shares the 46-year-old actor.

Speaking about giving importance to local issues first, Suriya says, “My daughter connects to the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement in the US, but she and many like her are not aware of what’s happening 50-60 km away from their home. The younger generation needs to know about unsung heroes like Chandru in our country and celebrate them.”

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