Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan, who launched the Hindi trailer of Indian 2 in Mumbai on Tuesday, got candid about making films on socio-political issues. At the trailer launch, the actor admitted that there’s a great risk in being part of films that question the establishment.
“That’s been a problem since the time of the British,” Kamal told reporters. “People were making films even then. We will continue to make those kinds of films, it doesn’t matter who is at the top of the establishment. That’s not just the filmmaker, that’s the citizen’s right to ask those questions.”
Kamal then spoke about how the audience’s support to such films instil confidence in makers to push the boundaries “without thinking of the guillotine”. “We, as artists, represent so many of you people. Thanks to the applause, we believe that we are your representatives, hence we talk boldly, without thinking of the guillotine. Yes, there is risk, the government can get angry but your applause puts out that fire, so make it louder,” he added.
Kamal played the role of Senapathy in ‘Indian’ wherein he fought against corruption. The actor will reprise his role in the film’s sequel which is set to release next month. He said, “So, kya main nafrat karu, ya shukriyada? (Should I be thankful, or condemn it?) What have we done? It is us! And the politicians are none other than one of us. We are all responsible for corruption and we must all change our minds and the best time to change our minds is during elections. These are just reminders of how corrupt we become. Nothing has changed thanks to corruption, everything will change thanks to the collective conscience.”
At the same event, Kamal Haasan also said that he was “grateful” to his Hindi audience for accepting him as their own. Haasan made his Hindi film debut with Ek Duuje Ke Liye in 1981. The film was a remake of his own acted Telugu-language film Maro Charitra directed by K Balachander.
“Let me first thank you for teaching me a lesson,” Haasan began his speech as he addressed the media in Mumbai. “I used to think I’m from Tamil Nadu and that’s my place. You taught me 35 or more years ago that I’m an Indian. I was just a South Indian actor, you people made me into an Indian actor. I’m ever so grateful. I didn’t know a word of Hindi when I was doing my first film. I was exactly what the hero of Ek Duuje Ke Liye was and without your support and applause, I couldn’t have come back on to this stage.”
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