Kamal Haasan wades into Hindi vs South debate, says ‘we speak different languages but are united’

Speaking on the back-to-back success of films such as RRR and KGF: Chapter 2, Kamal Haasan said: “I am an Indian. What are you? Taj Mahal is mine, Madurai temple is yours. Kanyakumari is as much yours as Kashmir is mine.” He further said that the term ‘pan India’ film is a “new coinage” as the Indian cinema has always churned out classics such as “Mughal-e-Azam” and “Chemeen”.

TN National Desk

Updated May 26, 2022, 18:29 IST

Kamal Haasan

Photo : ANI

New Delhi: Veteran actor Kamal Haasan on Thursday waded into the Hindi vs South debate saying India is unique and people here speak different languages but remain united.

Unlike America, we are very different and that’s the beauty of this country, he said.

Speaking on the back-to-back success of films such as RRR and KGF: Chapter 2, the actor said: “I am an Indian. What are you? Taj Mahal is mine, Madurai temple is yours. Kanyakumari is as much yours as Kashmir is mine.”

He further said that the term ‘pan India’ film is a “new coinage” as the Indian cinema has always churned out classics such as “Mughal-e-Azam” and “Chemeen”, films that were popular across languages.

Haasan also spoke about his bond with superstar Rajinikanth, his friend of 40 years.

Referring to his co-star’s exit from politics in December 2021, Haasan said Rajinikanth thinks “politically differently”.

I am a centrist and I have a different philosophy about people and politics, the Makkal Needhi Maiam chief said.

Last month, Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn and Kannada superstar Kiccha Sudeep entered into Twitter spat over Hindi not being the national language of India.

It all started with the Bollywood actor asked Sudeep why he was releasing movies in his mother tongue by dubbing them in Hindi if Hindi was not our national language.

“Brother, if Hindi is not our national language according to you, then why do you release films made in your mother tongue dubbed in Hindi? Hindi is our mother tongue and our national language, and it will always be. Jana Gana Mana,” said Devgn in a tweet tagging the Sandalwood star.

Later, Sudeep clarified, saying, he loves and respects every Indian language.

I would want this topic to rest, as I said the line in a totally different context, he added.

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