Court orders Kamal Haasan to appear before it on May 5

Popular actor Kamal Haasan was today asked by a local court to appear before it on May 5 to answer allegations in a complaint against him that he made insulting remarks against the Hindu epic Mahabharata.

Valliyoor Judicial Magistrate Senthil Kumar also ordered the Pazhuvur police inspector to investigate the matter and file a report at the earliest on the complaint filed by Athinatha Sundaram, the secretary of the Narumboonathar temple devotees federation.

The actor allegedly made the anti-Mahabharata remarks during an interview to a private Tamil television channel on March 12.

The complainant alleged that the actor, in response to a question from the interviewer about the violence against women, particularly in the film industry, said the people in this country read even the epic Mahabharata, wherein a woman was staked in a dice game.

He also allegedly said Indians give too much respect to the Mahabharatha that "highlighted the fact" that a woman was pawned away in gambling.

He submitted that Kamal Haasan had 'insulted' the Hindus and the Mahabharata by his alleged remarks.

He sought a heavy fine and maximum punishment to the actor for insulting the religious sentiments of the Hindus.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)