Kamal Haasan's demonetisation apology keeps people guessing about his political debut
Kamal Hassan has said he would join hands with Rajinikanth if the latter joined politics.
While actor Kamal Haasan has been talking about making an entry into politics for some time now, the superstar has given no indication of which side of the political divide he is on.
Thus, his recent apology to the people of Tamil Nadu for endorsing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetisation drive came as no surprise, at least to me.
In a recent piece in a Tamil magazine, the actor said that the central government had not been able to respond convincingly to the criticism against demonetisation.
The actor, who met Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in Chennai last month, told me in an interview: “He (Modi) has tried while others have only promised. Swachh Bharat is a good idea. Demonetisation is a good idea. I am not an economist... but now there is criticism about it (demonetisation). Let us not jump to conclusions.”
Hence, his supposed U-turn isn't really, for he had never endorsed any party. Even after meeting Kejriwal, Haasan spoke on a wide range of issues pertaining to politics, but did not openly support the Delhi CM.
And to put things in perspective, here's a sequence. Haasan had initially agreed to campaign for Swachh Bharat when Modi picked him as an ambassador for the mission. He lent support for this initiative at some public events. At the time, J Jayalalithaa was the chief minister of Tamil Nadu.
Haasan gradually became more active on Twitter and after Jayalalithaa's death, more vocal about his views on political developments.
Since he began hosting the Tamil version of Big Boss, Haasan has been making direct political statements. But from what I gather, he wishes to remain neutral for now.
While he has praised Modi, that didn't keep him from meeting Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan for Onam celebrations. Haasan, who is known to be left-leaning, discussed political issues with Vijayan.
He even joked at an event: “Many ask why I am not meeting the Tamil Nadu chief minister. But who knows, before I reach the secretariat, the government may have changed.”
In the midst of this, Haasan also attended the platinum jubilee celebrations of DMK mouth piece Murasoli, which set tongues wagging about his possible alliance with the party. But Haasan being Haasan maintained a neutral stance.
Then came the AAP – last month, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had flown down to Chennai to have lunch with Haasan. Considering that the actor had been making statements against corruption, Kejriwal’s meeting had set off intense speculation. But that same evening, Haasan had taken a soft stand on Modi.
Incidentally, before meeting the AAP leader, the superstar had hit out against the Centre on NEET and GST issues.
The actor has so far not only been bold but also cautious about open confrontations. He is testing the waters, but also assessing the mood of the people. He is meeting fan club members and giving them advice on helping people.
At the same time, he is not shying away from attacking those in power. Even during the NEET crisis in Tamil Nadu, he had sided with the popular sentiment. An ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi, Haasan has said he hopes to spark off a revolution. So, every comment he makes against the BJP or any party for now is just an attempt to reach out to people.
With the people of Tamil Nadu unhappy with the AIADMK government and the crisis in the party, the vacuum is clear. Haasan has probably also sensed murmurs of the BJP trying to operate the present government, which has been functioning in a rather worrying way.
On the other hand, Rajinikanth is yet to make any open statement about supporting any political party, more importantly the BJP. Modi had visited Rajinikanth in Chennai in 2014 before the Lok Sabha elections. Though he didn't name the BJP, Rajinikanth recently hit out against corruption by political parties.
At such a time, Haasan seems to be laying the ground for a “revolution” that will not tie him to one political hue. When I spoke to the actor last month, he pointed to the black shirt he was wearing and said: "Black has all colours in it."
No wonder then he doesn't mind flaunting some colours, as and when needed. However, he still loves black.