I and Rajinikanth continue to respect, criticize and endorse each other: Kamal Haasan

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan on Friday said he and Rajinikanth have differing political views, yet they will always respect each other.

"Both of us (Rajinikanth and Haasan), at a point in time, decided that we'll respect each other as we believed that the future was going to be good for both of us. Today, we continue to respect, criticize & endorse each other," Haasan said speaking at an event held at his production house here.

They had earlier unveiled a statue of the late film director K Balachander together at the premises of Haasan's production house, Raaj Kamal Films International.

The duo also paid floral tribute to Balachander by garlanding the bust.Speaking about Balachander, Haasan said that his contribution to cinema was immense.

"I am glad that they made it (statue) now, he (Balachander) was already an icon in the first year of his entry into the cinema world and he continues to be one now many years later. I believe that needs to be recognised," Haasan told reporters here.

Balachander won nine National Film Awards and was also honoured with the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, in 1987, and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest award in Indian cinema.