Kamal hain

The times are exciting for Kamal Haasan. Vishwaroop 2, which he has also directed, released on Friday. At the same time, he is also warming up his election campaign as a new politician. But Kamal seems to have found a balance. His priority will be politics while films will help him spread his ideology. Vishwaroop 2, in which he returns as a RAW agent, and his next Indian 2, fit perfectly in the scheme of things. 

Excerpts from a chat with The Woods: 
 
The Woods: When Rajinikanth did Kaala, there was a distinct political message. Would you try doing the same with Vishwaroop 2?

KAMAL: I have always given political messages. I strongly felt that as a citizen, as an artiste, I have to do what is necessary to sensitise the audience. If you watch some of my films, right from Thevar Magar (1992) and Mahanadi (1993) to Hey Ram (2000), and Virumandi (2004), I have been doing it. It only got more serious with Vishwaroop, akin to Hey Ram. This is not a Dashavatar kind of light-hearted insertion of my idea, but a direct impartation of what I feel is troubling us globally. 

There have been talks that you will exclusively work on politics and not films…

I have given the largest portion of my life to cinema. Now I think, I will have to give whatever is left to what made me what I am.

What about producing movies?

MGR had done 15 to 20 films after becoming an MLA. But he was not the party president then. The moment he became party president, things changed. That might happen with me also. It is a bigger responsibility. We are not talking about the business of entertainment anymore, we are talking about the business of Tamil Nadu itself. We have been critics, but when critics are asked to make films they fail. Very few critics have, to a point, like (Jean-Luc) Godard, managed to walk the talk. That’s what we aspire to do. We don’t want to be armchair critics, complaining. We don’t want to be commentators, we want to be players.
 
What got you to host Bigg Boss Tamil?

That was also part of my political plan. I address 3.2 crore people every Saturday. That’s the kind of people who tune into the show. That is an enormous opportunity, leave along the expense. They asked me why I don’t do a show like Satyameva Jayate, I said I was doing it live.
 
Have you lived all your dreams as an actor?

The truth is, no artiste ever fulfils his dreams. He just practises while somebody else stages it. I am only staging Mr Shivaji Ganesan’s dream, Mr Raj Kapoor’s dream, Mr Guru Dutt’s dream. They all rehearsed for me. Now I am rehearsing for someone else, who will stage my dreams.
 
Sridevi passed away earlier this year. She was a friend to you. Her daughter Janhvi Kapoor debuted recently. Have you seen her film (Dhadak)?

I am yet to see it. Boney (Kapoor) saab offered to show it but we have been very busy with the party. I will watch it. I have done 27 films with Sridevi. That itself is a separate experience. It is a pity. Everybody comes to an end but this was a little too abrupt, unexpected.