‘Family man’ in Amazon Prime Video series depicts LTTE cruelty | Sunday Observer

‘Family man’ in Amazon Prime Video series depicts LTTE cruelty

12 June, 2021

The Amazon video “Family Man” depicts the true face of the LTTE when it’s international supporters masquerade as human rights activists in the West. The LTTE international network especially in Tamil Nadu, has initiated a campaign against Amazon. As the memory of the LTTE assassination of Rajiv Gandhi fades away, the remnants of the LTTE network is diverting its funds used for weapons procurement for lobbying and corruption of politicians.

Family Man 2 is the sequel to Family man 1, a popular web series on Amazon Prime Video. It was released on the June 3, 2021. The 2nd season was created and produced by Raj and DK, two eminent Indian filmmakers. Samantha Akkineni and Manoj Bajpay play the two central-most characters, Srikant Tiwari and Raji, while many other known South Indian and Hindi actors star in this series. The series is a fine mix of action and drama which illustrates the story of a man who is equally devoted to serving his country, India, as well as protecting his family. The main context of the story is India, though it significantly involves Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the UK as well. Srikant (Manoj Bajpayee) is a spy who is living a double life; whilst that he is an Indian intelligence officer, at the beginning of the story, he is temporarily working a conventional job at an IT company. Raji (Samantha Akkineni), is a commander of a rebel group for Sri Lankan Tamils, who is determined to cause chaos and take lives of innocent people.

The significance of this series for Sri Lanka sets in with its incorporation of an LTTE-like terrorist organisation. The terrorists group depicted in the series bears resemblance to the LTTE in numerous ways. However, unlike recent attempts by LTTE sympathisers to glorify the LTTE through various means, the series should be commended for demonstrating the terrorist organisation for what it really was. Similar to the LTTE, this terrorist group is also a Sri Lankan Tamil insurgent group.

The intention of these terrorists is separatism as well, or that of demanding an independent state for Sri Lankan Tamils (firstpost). From the uniform, to training camps, local sympathisers, the international network and the leader, whose name is Bhaskaran, many aspects of the organization, is reminiscent of the cruelty of what was once known to be the deadliest terrorist organisation of the world, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Unique

The series presents a unique, yet not too unfamiliar story of a terrorist group plotting to assassinate the Prime Minister of India. Bhaskaran, the leader, is driven to initiate such a plan in the context that he loses the support of the Indian Government for his cause. In a twist to the known tale, the story sees the union of the LTTE-like group with the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan against India. It is shown that these two entities collectively plot to kill the PM of India.

The releasing of Family Man 2 is timely. It is shown against the backdrop of a myriad of attempts to masquerade terrorists as freedom fighters all around the world. An Act to remember fallen terrorists called Tamil Genocide Remembrance Week Act was passed in the Ontario legislature in May 2021. An effort to tone down the viciousness of the LTTE to merely an armed independence organisation has been made through a Resolution of the House of Representatives in the USA. These two events and the few other similar moves by countries’/states’ legislatures are evidently misguided, buttressed through a large-scale misinformation campaign run by the remnants of the LTTE. This was the same network that procured weapons, raised funds and reinforced terrorism in Sri Lanka. Thus at a time that widespread amnesia prevails in regards to the damage and destruction caused by the separatists in Sri Lanka, the Amazon Prime series provides a true account of incidents which is consistent with history. Though certain elements could certainly be fictitious, the overall depiction of the LTTE is accurate.

Viewers

In the matter of only a few days after the release, the series has already become a hit. IMDB rating of the show stands at 8.7. Anupama Chopra, a rigorous film critic has also praised the creation. Viewers have embraced the series with great affection. It has been commended as a masterpiece and a well-articulated story. A minor faction, however, appears to be displeased with the story of Family Man 2. Amongst the objectors is Senthamizhan Seeman, founder of Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK). Not only does he claim that the web series “portrays Tamil people as terrorists”, but also that “LTTE stood with high morality.” Other dissenters have expressed similar views, such as blaming that it is offensive to Tamilians and hurts the Tamil culture. This faction has proceeded to the extent of taking action to ban the series.

The series could potentially join preceding works that were banned in Tamil Nadu, such as Madras Café, Inam, Kuttrapathirikai, With You Without You, and Pulipaarvai. Not long ago, the releasing of the movie 800, a biopic of Sri Lankan cricket legend Muttiyah Muralitharan, was also blocked by that same faction. On the contrary, they rallied behind the movie “Raging Tiger,” a biopic of a leader of a terrorist group who wrought carnage upon the very people he claimed to protect.

On the one hand, the pervasive acceptance of Family Man 2 by the wider Indian audience manifests that they have not forgotten the ruthlessness of the fallen LTTE. It bespeaks their living memory of the murder of their beloved leader Rajiv Gandhi. On the other hand, the actions of the protestors display their intention to glorify terrorists as freedom fighters. It also confuses the observers as to what is meant by hurting the Tamil culture. It begs the question as to how a terrorist organization is reverenced as a cultural component while ostracising a celebrated cricketer. A good look at the

productions that are supported and condemned by these political sections reveals who is branding the Tamil community as terrorists; ‘why do they condemn movies and shows which unveil the true face the terrorists?’ & ‘doesn’t it naturally result in acquiring the terrorist label?’ are reasonable questions raised in the minds of observers. The conclusion it thus leads to is that, Family Man 2 is solely opposed by the small minority of LTTE sympathisers, who are misguiding their own community as well as the international community. It is not the series which brands all Tamilians as terrorists; it is the various political movements with ulterior agendas who portray it as such. These are surely not the representatives of the Tamil community at large.

Appreciation

Samantha Akkineni, the famous South Indian actress, deserves appreciation, for she took up a risky role. She was evidently aware of the backlash she would receive for playing this role. She further runs the risk of never being casted in a role in Kollywood movie. She provides hope and evidence that not all South Indian actors have political biases and capable of contributing to a good piece of work free of political predispositions. Manoj Bajpayee too should be admired for the exceptional depiction of a patriotic intelligence officer who stops at nothing to protect his motherland. It is truly evocative of the indefatigable commitment of Sri Lanka’s own military and intelligence community who once wiped out terrorism from the country. Unlike Srikant in Family Man 2, however, Sri Lankan officers did not have all the technological means readily available; they worked with minimum technology. All in all, Family Man 2 is an outstanding web series. Especially as far as the LTTE is concerned, it is a reality check on the brutality of the organization, in an era of mass distortions of the truth, misinformation & disinformation. Sri Lanka.

Maya Anthony is a human rights activist in Jaffna

Comments