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Opinion | The Political Potency Of 'Parasakthi': Box Office, Ballot Box, And Beyond

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Parasakthi is not merely a film set against history; it is history weaponised for the present. From its very first frame, the movie announces its political intent, rooting itself firmly in the anti-Hindi imposition agitations of the 1950s and 60s - a movement that did not just shake the streets of Tamil Nadu but fundamentally altered its political destiny by propelling the DMK to power.

There is nothing subtle about this film, nor is it meant to be. Parasakthi is an unapologetically political work that evokes fear, pride, anger, and resistance - emotions deeply embedded in Tamil society when it comes to language, identity, and cultural survival. The anxiety over Hindi imposition and the threat it poses to Tamil and other regional languages is not a relic of the past; it remains a powerful countercurrent to the BJP's Hindutva project even today. The film understands this-and exploits it masterfully.

Though set during the Nehru-Indira Gandhi era, with explicit references to the violent and uncompromising resistance to the Centre's language policies, Parasakthi clearly serves a contemporary political purpose. It explains, almost pedagogically, the origins of the DMK's historic opposition to the three-language formula and positions the party as the singular defender of Tamil identity against north Indian cultural dominance.

The film does not shy away from foregrounding DMK icons like CN........

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