Kochi: Actor-turned politician Kamal Haasan on Monday said he would quit acting after his upcoming film project, a sequel to his 1996 hit film Indian, so as to devote more time in politics.
“Makkal Needhi Maiam (his political party) will field candidates in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Tamil Nadu. I’ll quit acting after the upcoming project Indian 2, the shooting of which is slated to start on December 14,” said the 64-year old Padma Bhusan awardee while speaking to reporters at Kizhakkambalam.
However, he added that he would run his own film production company to “finance” various public-centred programmes.
Kamal Haasan was inaugurating the handing over of 37 houses to poor families in Njaralur Colony by the ‘Twenty-20’ and the Kizhakkambalam panchayat.
“Kerala is like my home. I feel greater happiness to come to functions like this where those in power walk the talk. However without power all your dreams will remain as dreams. I want to emulate the programmes being implemented here back in Tamil Nadu,” the actor, who had unveiled his ‘Makkal Needhi Maiam’ party back in February, said.
Kamal Haasan said he was currently taking advice from those in power who succeeded to do something for the people on the ground.
“I’ve met Pinarayi Vijayan and the Orissa Chief Minister among others. I will take all the ideas and try to replicate the same in Tamil Nadu,” he said.
On his party’s ideological approach, he said he is ready to cooperate with secular parties in the future but will try to resist polarisation attempts of political outfits using religion, caste and money.
On Sabarimala issue, the actor favoured that the common people should be “convinced by initiating dialogues and not by force.
He also supported the ‘Me Too’ campaign, however, said the same should not be taken for settling personal scores.
Under the initiative of the ‘Twenty-20’, nearly 300 houses are being build and handed over to poor family besides helping rebuild nearly 800 houses in deteriorated condition in the Kizhakambalam panchayat.
