Amid Mandaadi’s success, director says Suhas faced racist comments: ‘Don’t judge by colour’

Director Mathimaran Pugazhendhi disclosed that Telugu actor Suhas endured racist remarks from his home country prior to the production of Mandaadi, the Tamil catamaran racing drama in which Suhas debuts in Tamil alongside Soori. At the film's success meet, the director revealed that these derogatory comments deeply impacted Suhas during the shooting and that he had personally vowed to address them openly once the film demonstrated its worth.

"Suhas felt extremely bad during the shoot due to his skin color and the racist comments he received from back home," Mathimaran stated. "I told him we would respond to them on stage at our success meet." He then confronted those who had made such remarks directly. "I do not know who made the comments, but to answer, we do not discriminate against our actors based on their color in Tamil Nadu.

You can watch the film and call him back," the director concluded. The film, Mandaadi, is a sports action drama set in Tamil Nadu's coastal fishing communities, marking Tamil cinema's first feature built around catamaran racing, an ancient sport that has never been depicted on screen before. Soori leads as Mandaadi, while Suhas plays his rival Sattapuli, with Mahima Nambiar and Sathyaraj in supporting roles.