Seeman (politician)
Senthamizhan Seeman[3][4][5][6] (born 8 November 1966) is an Indian film director, actor and politician also the chief-coordinator of the political party Naam Tamilar Katchi in Tamil Nadu. He strongly advocates for regional autonomy and Tamil Nationalism by focusing on the Tamil language, identity, and culture.[7]
Seeman
Position established
Naam Tamilar Katchi (2010–Present)
Naam Tamilar Iyakkam (2009–2010)
Dravidar Kazhagam (2006–2009)
1
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
- Film director
- Actor
- Politician
Seeman began his career as a filmmaker in the mid-1990s, working on films such as Panchalankurichi (1996) and Veeranadai (2000). The failure of his early films made it difficult for him to attract offers as a director and several of his proposed projects were stalled in the late 1990s. He later made a comeback through the successful vigilante film Thambi (2006), though the commercial failure of his next film, prompted Seeman to prioritise commitments as a supporting actor in the late 2000s.
In the early 2010s, Seeman started a Tamil nationalist political party, and has since often been in the news for his controversial statements on Indian social issues.[3][4][5]
Early life[edit]
Seeman was born in Aranaiyur, Tamil Nadu to Senthamizhan, member of Congress and Annammal in Aranaiyur, Tamil Nadu.[8][2] He studied in Government Primary School in Aranayur up to class 5th. He attended K.K. Ibrahim Ali High School from Class 6th to Class 10th and finished his class 11 and 12 in Ilayankudi. He completed his degree undergraduate economics at Dr. Zakir Hussain College in Ilayankudi.[8][2][1] Seeman has a brother named James Peter.[9][10] During his high school and college years, Seeman was enthralled with the ideals of the Dravidian movement. He moved to Chennai to pursue his dream of working in the film industry.[8]
Personal life[edit]
Seeman is married to Kayalvizhi, daughter of K. Kalimuthu, the former Speaker of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from the AIADMK party. The ceremony was held according to Tamil traditions at the YMCA grounds in Nandanam, Chennai during September 2013.[61]
Actress Vijayalakshmi claimed that she was in a relationship with Seeman who she had met on the sets of Seeman's film Vaazhthugal during 2007.[62] In 2011, she filed a police complaint against him for cheating her.[63] The pair continued to engage in a public war of words throughout the 2010s, with Vijayalakshmi later attempting suicide in July 2020, blaming Seeman and his supporters for torture.[64][65] In 2011, Seeman publicly expressed his interest in marrying a Sri Lankan Tamil woman and chose Yarlmathy, a widow of a LTTE fighter, but later did not do so.[66]
Controversies[edit]
In November 2009, while on a speaking tour in Canada, Seeman was arrested by the Canada Border Services Agency for giving a hate-filled incendiary speech at an event in Toronto. In the speech, he reportedly talked about restarting the civil war in Sri Lanka, and allegedly said "no Sinhala can live," going on to state that the LTTE should have bombed 100 Sinhala schools for every Tamil school which was attacked.[67]
While campaigning for Vikravandi assembly by-election, he declared that his party proudly declared the killing of an enemy (Rajiv Gandhi) for he had sent Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Eelam that killed numerous Tamil people. This speech raised criticism from people of various political spectrum. Following this event many charges were booked against him by the police.[68][69][70]
The most controversial aspect of Seeman and his political party is that of ethnic purism arbitrarily based on caste lines. He claims the 'decline of Tamil people' is due to continuous rule of Tamil Nadu by 'Vandheris' (refers to outsiders or non Tamils especially Telugus based on caste and history of immigration) and only hope for Tamils is to elect "Real Tamilian" to power.[71]
Although Seeman openly claims to be a supporter of Tamil Eelam and LTTE, the sincerity behind his proclaimed stance has been questioned multiple times. For example, an audio leak in 2019 confirmed the fact that Seeman opposed a pro-LTTE movie named Methagu despite the movie's well reception among Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamils alike. In another leaked audio, he was caught using profanity against slain LTTE fighter Pottu Amman[72]
In 2013, Seeman invited Kashmiri separatist leader Yaseen Malik for one of his public meetings and drew criticism [73]
In Feb 2023, during the Erode East Assembly constituency by-election campaign, when talking about the Vijaynagar kings capturing Tamil Nadu, he had mentioned "they brought members of the Arunthathiyar community to this region to do scavenging".[74] He received backlash and his comments also sparked protests by Arunthathiyar outfits. The Election Commission also issued a notice to NTK seeking an explanation. Seeman was also booked by the Karungalpalayam police, registering a case under three sections.[75]