Q. When do you start shooting for Bigg Boss, have you worked out a procedural strategy?
Kamal Haasan: Next month. The parameters of the show remain the same. I, as a person, might bring a different decorum to the show. Or so, the Channel (Colors) seems to think. They may be wrong. But I am not complaining (laughs).
Q. What would you want the contestants to take away from you, gyaan or friendship?
Kamal Haasan: We all have to take away something to make it a win-win situation. So I guess I’d like to take some gyaan and the contestants may want to take away some friendship. That’s what I hope to achieve. But you know what they say about the cup and the lip?
Q. You recently said you preferred Salman Khan to Bachchan saab as host and anchor. Please elaborate?
Kamal Haasan: I tend to lean towards stature and demeanor akin to mine somewhat. Amitji is taller wiser and older. And I don’t just mean it in terms of chronology and biological age.
Q. Moving away from the politics of a game show. Tamil Nadu’s politics remains in a state of flux. What, according to you, ails the State’s politics post-Jayalalitha?
Kamal Haasan: It remains chaotic and avaricious as always. As long as politics is considered as the best and most lucrative business in the country, the situation will not change. We need administrative wizards not mal-appropriating charlatans masquerading as leaders.
Q: There is a lot of speculation about Rajinikanthji joining politics. Do you think it's a good idea?
Kamal Haasan: Good idea, bad idea... who am I to decide? He and I never interfere in one another's career decisions. Whether it is the choice of films, or politics, we don't advise one another. Tamil politics is in such a state of flux. Anything is possible. Whether he joins politics or I, who can tell what will happen in the future?
Q. What keeps you away from active politics?
Kamal Haasan: It isn’t practiced properly or decently. We’re responsible for that. Change isn’t going to fall into our laps. To quote Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, be the change you want to see. If I join politics, I would have to give up cinema completely. Like acting and direction, politics requires absolute concentration. I think I’m doing my bit by doing my chosen work properly and sincerely. If all of us did that, democracy would be on the road to recovery.
Q. How do you rationalize the frenzied fusion of cinema and politics in Tamil Nadu?
Kamal Haasan: It started with the DMK who wanted a propaganda tool. The worldover cinema has been used as one of the most powerful mediums of political propaganda. So why not Tamil Nadu? When CN Annadurai saab incepted the Dravidar Kazhagam party, it was not a contesting party. Annadurai saab was also a screenwriter. When he died Karunanidhi saab was unanimously chosen as his undisputed successor. From then on, he has been a dominant factor in Tamil Nadu politics. His only rival was MGR whose personal charisma and political knowledge are legendary. After 1967, Tamil Nadu hasn’t seen a single non-cinema chief minister. Even NT Rama Rao in Andhra Pradesh saw the close link between cinema and politics through MGR. NTR played almost every role in Telugu cinema that MGR played in Tamil. Plus, NTR had the religious aura to his personality.
Q. One hears of several Jayalalitha biopics being designed. Do you think it's a good idea? Would you be tempted to make one? If so, whom would you cast as Jayalalitha?
Kamal Haasan: I don’t think it is a safe or a good idea. Besides, hasn’t Mani Ratnam done Iruvar?
Q. How has the success of Baahubali impacted the South Indian film industry and Indian cinema on the whole?
Kamal Haasan: The numbers prove there is more iceberg under this peak jutting out of this sea of deceit. The industry should take a deep breath before exploring it and not go breathless with euphoria. Success is not granted to those who stand in a queue waiting for their turn.
Q. Would you be tempted to return to Marudhanayagam in which you had visualized the epic scale of Baahubali 25 years ago?
Kamal Haasan: I am most often tempted by offers and especially some admirers who still insist I should go at it.
Q. Are you keen on doing a film with Rajinikanth?
Kamal Haasan: It depends. He said if we do a film together he won’t direct it. It has to be either me or someone else. It would be quite interesting to do a film with him. At a function, Rajni recalled an incident early in our careers when he was riding pillion on a motorbike with me. When I sort of took a skid Rajini asked if I knew how to ride a motorbike. I assured him even if I fell I wouldn’t let him fall. I was so touched when at the Thenali function Rajni said, ‘That’s what happened in our career. He never let me fall. In 1983, when I wanted to leave everything behind it was Kamal who cajoled me back to the material world.’ I guess we’ll do a film together. We’ve been talking about it for five years. We’re worried about the expectations.
(The love of Lata Mangeshkar's voice and Hindi movies - in that order - has propelled Subhash K Jha to the pursuit of journalism for over 30 years.)
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