Actor refused to comment about Bangalore's waste problem at a media interaction in city
Actor Kamal Haasan was at hand during an interaction with media organised by Reporters’ Guild and Press Club of Bangalore on Saturday. When the actor was quizzed about the city’s infrastructure and its garbage menace, he politely refused to speak on the subject, perhaps wary of the recent controversy over Bruhat Bengalure Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) mayor BS Satyanarayana’s decision to rope in actor Rajanikanth to create awareness among Bangaloreans on the importance of segregating garbage at source.
“I am a tourist. As a host, you take me to the best places in the city where there is no garbage problem. As a tourist, I can’t comment on the garbage issue. It is the responsibility of people who live in the city to complain to the authorities concerned about it,’’ he said.
On dubbing of other language films to Kannada, the actor said: “There should not be any restrictions on other language films. There should not be protective measures by the state government. The industry should be open for the competition.”
Expressing concern over the growing trend of religious intolerance, Haasan said he would have left the country if he was threatened by any religious organsiations.
“I can leave the country, but the country needs me. Because of religious intolerance, artist MF Husain had to leave the country and die in a foreign country. I have to go abroad even to visit his grave,’’ he said.
On the controversy over his film Vishwaroopam and Vijay’s film Thalaiva in Tamil Nadu, he said some people objected to certain dialogues in Thalaiva owing to the lack of humour sense, tolerance and understanding.
“Some of the dialogues were removed from Thalaiva for screening in Tamil Nadu, but the film consisting those dialogues was screened in Karnataka and other parts of the country, including Lucknow. No one complained against such dialogues. I am of the opinion that some people are misusing religion for their benefit,’’ he said.
According to him, preparations are being made to make a Tamil film in Karnataka. Actor-cum-director Ramesh Aravind has been assigned to handle the megaphone for the film.
When asked if he would like to act in a film with Rajanikanth, Haasan said: “If it is imminent, he can play a cameo role in a film in which I play the lead role, or I will play a cameo in his film. Otherwise the government has to increase the price ticket for watching such films,’’ he said.
The actor also said that catering to the needs of youth has become a huge challenge for him. On role models, he said he admires Mahatma Gandhi and EV Ramaswamy (Periyar).
“These two great people lost money. They did not make money by being leaders. Their children and grand-children are working to make both ends meet,’’ he said.
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