Actor Kamal Haasan sat down for a candid video interview with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, discussing politics, Chinese aggression, and films, including Haasan’s film ‘Hey Ram’. The conversation, which took place as part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Delhi, is now available to view on Rahul Gandhi’s official YouTube channel.
In a candid conversation, Kamal Haasan and Rahul Gandhi delved into the film ‘Hey Ram’ and Haasan’s evolving views on Mahatma Gandhi. Haasan revealed that his father was a Congressman, but a “bitter critic” of Gandhi. However, he later came to appreciate Gandhi and made the film as a way to apologize and explore the idea of a parallel assassin who ultimately decides not to kill Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi added that hatred is “blindness and misunderstanding,” to which Haasan agreed, saying that assassination is a “cheap” form of criticism.
Kamal Haasan is an Indian actor, filmmaker, and politician who is the founder of the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) political party in Tamil Nadu. He has not publicly stated his support for the Indian National Congress party, and it is not clear if he is a supporter of the party.
During that they touched upon a plethora of recent issues such as violence that has been spreading throughout India. Haasan stated that the violence is manufactured and specifically mentioned the state of Kerala, where there is generally peace unless someone intentionally instigates violence.
In his manifesto, Kamal Haasan has promised to provide a financial benefit of Rs 3,000 to homemakers who acquire new skills. This promise is similar to Rahul Gandhi’s election promise of the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) scheme, which he made during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. It appears that the two leaders have similar views on a variety of issues.
During their conversation, Rahul Gandhi stated that in terms of production, only India has the capability to compete with China, not the West. Kamal Haasan agreed and added that developing new skills is the next important step for India, hinting at his own election promises to focus on skill development. Haasan described this emphasis on skill building as the next “satyagraha” in India, referencing the term for a nonviolent resistance movement that originated in India during the country’s struggle for independence from British rule.
It seems that both Gandhi and Haasan recognize the importance of developing a skilled workforce in order to advance and compete in the global economy, and have made it a key part of their political agendas.
Haasan also touched on the topic of language chauvinism in Tamil Nadu and how it has played a role in the violence. Gandhi responded by expressing his belief that the government is lacking in its global view of security, specifically in regards to the situation with China.
The two also discussed issues such a geopolitics, on a question asked by Kamal Hasan, Rahul Gandhi responded by expressing his belief that the government is not effectively addressing global security concerns, particularly with regard to the situation with China. He added that the government needs to have a wider perspective on security in the 21st century, and that it is currently failing to do so.
Rahul Gandhi commented that the nature of warfare is rapidly changing in the modern age, and that there is now a greater threat from within the country rather than at the borders. He emphasized the need for a global perspective on security in order to address the novel threats posed by cyber attacks and misinformation on social media. Gandhi argued that it is necessary for a country to consider these new forms of aggression in order to effectively defend itself in the current age.
Kamal Haasan referenced Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of “shaking the lion’s mane” as a way to gather strength and courage to stand up against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. Gandhi’s metaphor suggests that one should not back down in the face of a challenge or obstacle, but rather confront it head on with determination and bravery. Haasan likely used this analogy to encourage his supporters to remain strong and united in their opposition to the BJP and its policies.
