A NEW ROLE FOR HAASAN

A noisy entry was not on his plan, but the actor has the savvy to be a voice for the South—and DMK—in Delhi

-  By Kavitha Muralidharan

IN 2008, KAMAL HAASAN ASTONISHED India with Dasavatharam, a film in which he played 10 roles. But few then could have foreseen that versatility extending to a role in politics. Nor, by a long shot, that Kamal would one day be walking into the halls of Parliament. And given his usually genteel, restrained demeanour in public, certainly not that such a stage entry would be accompanied by a surround sound of a bitter language debate, with chauvinism in full flow on all sides.

Yet, here he is, days away from the portals of the Rajya Sabha, but also simultaneously battling a ban called by Kannada activists on his latest release Thug Life, complete with irate rebuttals, erudite takedowns and court interventions. All for an off-the-cuff remark on stage, that "Kannada is born out of Tamil".

Though spoken in the fond tones of filial bonding, it stretched the bounds of accuracy and, in retrospect, was the best way to wade foolhardily into a minefield. Even Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah berated him—not quite the script Kamal would have had in mind. He was all dressed up to be the voice of the South in New Delhi.

STYLE SOUTH, UP NORTH