Kamal Haasan Defends Himself From Fundamentalist Attack

It takes a lucid mind to wade through the chaos of contemporary India. Kamal Haasan is never afraid to speak his mind.

His recent statement on the Mahabharat on Tamil news channel where he stated that a scripture that speaks of a woman (Draupadi) being gambled away is honoured by India has incurred the wrath  of  a Hindu outfit.

But Kamal Hassan knows what he was talking about. “I said we’re stuck in the chapter of Mahabharat describing the gambling. We venerate the worst part in even the best books.  In a similar vein,  I have said many good things in my interview about both Hindus and Muslims.  To a question, “Do you dislike Brahmins?” I said ,  “I  can’t possibly as my mother and father and most of my family are it. It is like asking do you dislike humans? No, I can’t live without them, even my religious friends. I take all criticism about my rationalism from them with humour. I would suggest they do too. If I were to believe in the stories of  the ‘allmightiness’ of gods, then Gods  do not need  mortals to defend them, do they?”

Tongue-in-cheek Kamal Haasan puns, “For God’s sake ,let’s stop fighting . There are so many imminent things to fight about.  I love reading all the mythological  stories .I was brought up on them.  Let’s not loose our sense of humour and compassion.  I don’t tolerate you(the others) I have accepted to live with you . So you too don’t tolerate me accept me. There is a point of exasperation with tolerance. With acceptance, begins dialogue and sometimes banter too.”

The  fearless artiste in Kamal Haasan feels it’s time for Indians to go beyond nitpicking. “Wake up India . Jai Ramji ki,  Jai Jesus ki,JaiDarwin ki,Jai Musalmaan  ki ,Jai human ki and oh… Jai Hanumankitoo! Come on, guys.  We got to go one step further than even ‘Make In India’.  Let’s make India itself.  India 2.0 , the updated version. If it’s not too late already.”