Recently, Kollywood filmmaker Vetrimaran indirectly accused 'Ponniyin Selvan-I' of distorting history by showing Raja Raja Chola as a Hindu. The character is played by Jayam Ravi in the Mani Ratnam directorial. The filmmaker called it the saffronisation of history. "It is important to understand politics to protect one’s representation," he added.

On Thursday, Kamal Haasan supported the filmmaker. He said that there was no Hindu religion in the times of the Chola empire. The 'Vishwaroopam' actor added that there was Vaishnavism and Shaivism, among other sects, but there was nothing called Hinduism as such. The 'Vikram' actor claimed that the term 'Hindu' was a British creation.

Kamal can be said to have accused Mani Ratnam of distorting history in adapting a fictional novel into a film.

The 'Indian 2' actor is receiving flak for his comments. Netizens are reminding him that the sects he refers to in his comments are seen as emerging from the broad philosophical and spiritual tradition called Hinduism.