Actor Kamal Haasan, who has faced criticism for not interacting with the common man despite his political aspirations, has announced he would meet people across the State from January 26.
“There was this minor criticism that I have not come to the field. Even you [musician Ilaiyaraja] had that criticism. It was you [Mr. Ilaiyaraja] who had said get into the field. I am going to get into the field with the permission of the one who advised me. My journey to meet with the people would commence this [January] 26th,” Mr. Kamal Haasan said at a function here last weekend in the presence of the maestro.
The actor disclosed that arrangements were being made for his visits to various places and his travel schedule would be published in the next issue of a magazine in which he is a columnist. Mr. Kamal Haasan’s announcement about his tour is seen as an attempt to firm up his political plans.
While Mr. Rajinikanth, a colleague of over 40 years, has already started his legwork for his yet-to-be-named party by conducting a membership drive, Mr. Kamal Haasan’s proposed tour could help gauge the scale of reception he would receive from the people.
Gauging impact
Political analyst P. Ramajayam is of the view that Mr. Kamal Haasan’s entry into politics would have some impact, but not as much as Mr. Rajinikanth. The latter is being seen as a hit among the masses, while Mr. Kamal Haasan is believed to have supporters from the middle-class, he argues.
Unlike Mr. Rajinikanth, who Mr. Ramajayam feels “has clearly identified himself with the BJP”, Mr. Kamal Haasan has taken a stand against communalism and fundamentalism. “Look who all he met. CPM leader Pinarayi Vijayan, Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, to name a few.”
Age is another major factor which is not on the side of both Mr. Rajinikanth and Mr. Kamal Haasan, unlike former Chief Ministers M. Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa, who made their entry into politics quite early, says Mr. Ramajayam.
Film historian S. Theodore Baskaran says Mr. Kamal Haasan’s entry into politics would have “some impact” in a State that is obsessed with cinema, but the “quality of the impact remains to be seen”.
