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Kamal Haasan On Politics
Where does Kamal Haasan stand on the issue of imposition of Hindi in the south? I stand with Punjab. I stand with Karnataka. I stand with Andhra, is his quick reply. The pan-India superstar's latest film Thug Life, the 234th in a 65-year career, released in theatres this week amid controversy over his comment that Kannada was born out of Tamil. He refused to apologise and the film did not release in Karnataka. "I am the actor from 'Ek Duuje Ke Liye'..., Haasan told PTI during a recent visit to the news agency's headquarters, referring to his 1981 hit Hindi film about a Tamil boy and his romance with his Hindi speaking neighbour. Without imposition, we will learn. Don't impose, because this is ultimately education and we must take the shortest route to education and not put hurdles in its way," the actor said. The ruling DMK in his home state Tamil Nadu has long opposed the three-language policy introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP). The party has repeatedly accused t
One nation, one election proposal is 'dangerous', flawed and its scars still exist in some countries and hence it is not needed for India and it will not be required in future too, top actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam founder leader Kamal Haasan said here on Saturday. Without naming any party or leader, Haasan said had simultaneous polls been held in 2014 or 2015, it would have led to a complete sweep, resulting in dictatorship, loss of freedom of speech and dominance of a single leader. "You should understand that we have escaped from it...we have escaped from a disease more virulent than Coronavirus," he said addressing a party meet, apparently indicating that polls about a decade ago had been conducted without embracing the one nation, one election concept. Though Haasan pointed to Europe and Russia when he commented on simultaneous polls, he did not specify any single country where it had failed. What would happen if all traffic lights glow in the same colour at the same time, he
Actor Kamal Haasan-led Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) on Wednesday extended unconditional support to Congress candidate EVKS Elangovan for the February 27 Erode East bypoll, saying it was a "moment of national importance" to fight for the common cause of joining hands against "communal forces." Elangovan, senior Congress leader and former union minister, is the candidate of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Aliance (SPA). The bypoll was necessitated due to the recent death of sitting local legislator and his son Thirumahan Everaa. Briefing reporters after chairing a meeting of the party's Administrative and Executive councils, Haasan said they unanimously decided to extend "unconditional support" to the DMK-led SPA candidate and "my friend" Elangovan. "Myself and my partymen will extend whatever assistance is required for Elangovan's win," and ensure a big victory margin for the Congress leader, Haasan added. This is the first time the actor-politician is extending support to a candidate
Having recently joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra in Delhi, veteran actor Kamal Haasan on Sunday said he would have walked the streets of the national capital during the Emergency as well if he had that much sense of politics in the 1970s. Speaking on the concluding day of the sixth Kerala Literature Festival, the actor-turned-politician clarified that one should not mistake his being part of the yatra to leaning towards a "party" as he did that for a "united India". "...if I had this much sense of politics in the 1970s and there was Emergency, I would have walked the streets of Delhi. Please do not mistake this (my joining the Bharat Jodo Yatra) as my leaning towards a party; This was for a united India," Haasan said. The yatra, which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, will conclude in Srinagar by January 30 with Gandhi hoisting the national flag in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. The Makkal Needhi Maiam chief said he joined polit