Kamal Haasan's Maiden Speech in the Indian Parliament: One More Wasted Opportunity

 

Recently, the Tamil actor-turned-Member of Parliament, Mr. Kamal Haasan, made his maiden speech in the Indian Parliament. I listened to it for some time and then compelled myself to listen to it in its entirety. Mr. Kamal Haasan has a reputation for making films that are ahead of their time, apparently driven by his desire to elevate the artistic sensibilities of his audience. Sometimes he succeeded; at other times, he failed. He is also known for articulating ideas that are not easily comprehensible to the common man. Several sections of the South Indian media were sympathetic to him. Some even went to the extent of justifying his parliamentary speech, arguing that it demanded a high degree of intellectual competence to be properly understood.

I, however, found the speech insipid and incoherent. It came across as the ramblings of an accomplished individual rather than a meaningful political intervention. About nine years ago, in 2017, I wrote a blog on Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth when both were threatening to enter politics. For record, I had even circulated that blog to the email addresses of both actors. Thereafter, Kamal Haasan went a step further and floated a political party called the People’s Justice Centre (Makkal Neethi Maiam). He later contested an election in alliance with his co-star Mr. Sarath Kumar (who subsequently became a BJP party man). The electoral outcome was disastrous. Kamal Haasan lost badly and could not even secure victory in what he believed to be a safe seat. As he lost narrowly, it was a small consolation. Despite attracting several accomplished individuals as followers and office-bearers, none of the party’s candidates could muster a credible vote share. Most of them even lost their deposits. In fact, he could not find enough candidates willing to contest in many of the 150 constituencies he had initially earmarked for his party.

When he launched Makkal Neethi Maiam, Kamal Haasan boldly declared that neither the AIADMK nor the DMK were worthy political parties. He believed that, like M.G. Ramachandran, he could enter Tamil Nadu politics and stood a good chance of becoming Chief Minister. Despite favourable media coverage, his political entry proved to be a complete failure. Eventually, he seems to have realised that he could not sustain a political party for long.

Sun Pictures is the most successful Tamil cinema production house today. It reportedly paid ₹200 crores to Mr. Rajinikanth for his film Darbar and promised a similar amount to actor Vijay for another project. Kamal Haasan appears to have concluded that unless he made peace with the DMK, Sun Pictures would not cast him in their future films. Acting in a Sun Pictures production could potentially earn him a remuneration comparable to what Rajinikanth or Vijay received. Accordingly, he sought peace with the DMK. He wanted its support as an independent candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections and, in return, pledged the support of his yet-to-be-formally dissolved party. Today, he is an unattached Member of Parliament whose political support base effectively comes from the DMK.

During his maiden speech, Kamal Haasan addressed certain remarks to the Finance Minister and quoted Saint Tyagaraja, one of the three great trinities of Carnatic music. I will not translate what he said in Parliament, but I am certain that the official translators must have faced an extremely difficult task. Frankly, the speech was incomprehensible, insipid, and polemical.

When Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth first spoke about entering politics, I had urged them to clarify their positions on issues of vital importance to Tamil Nadu. These included:

1.     Their views on the possibility of an independent Tamil Eelam.

2.     The treatment of Indian Tamils working in Sri Lankan plantations.

3.     The continuous harassment faced by Indian fishermen in the territorial waters of India and Sri Lanka.

4.     Return of the Kachatheevu

5.     Their stance on reservations for backward classes, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, women, and children.

To date, neither of them has clearly articulated their positions on any of these issues, which are of serious concern to the people of Tamil Nadu. Between the two, Rajinikanth is politically more sophisticated. Interestingly, both actors made their mark in Tamil cinema with Bharathiraja’s Pathinaaru Vayathinile. (during the sixteenth year)Kamal Haasan played the hero and charged ₹27,000, while Rajinikanth played a despicable villain and was paid ₹5,000, as he was relatively unknown then. That was about forty years ago, and much has changed since. Kamal Haasan had a stupendous career as a film artist and is widely admired for his contributions to Indian cinema. He introduced several innovations and brought a breath of fresh air to the Tamil film industry. However, many of his ambitious projects pushed producers to the brink of bankruptcy. Films like Hey Ram, though critically appreciated, were massive commercial failures. Bharat Shah, one of India’s richest diamond merchants, deeply regretted financing that film and thereafter did not make a single movie.

Today, Kamal Haasan produces his own films and pays himself substantial remuneration. Rajinikanth, on the other hand, has always been a safer commercial bet and prefers working under different banners. For his recent film Jailer, produced by Sun Pictures, Rajinikanth reportedly earned around ₹200 crores, with tax deducted at source. Mr. Kalanidhi Maran himself reportedly visited Rajinikanth’s residence to deliver the payment.

Rajinikanth was politically astute. Though he initially hinted at launching a political party, he withdrew at the right time and instead delivered a massive commercial hit with Jailer, which significantly strengthened his finances. That said, there are allegations and pending civil and criminal cases involving his wife related to financial improprieties, including a failed school venture.

Instead Kamal Haasan, therefore, chose to align himself with the DMK. By doing so, he hopes to secure roles in future Sun Pictures productions and possibly command a remuneration comparable to that of Rajinikanth or Vijay. While I wish him all success in his commercial pursuits, I must state that his political venture appears to be driven largely by personal vanity and ego. He lacks the qualities necessary to be an effective political leader. Even if he were to succeed electorally, there is little he could meaningfully contribute to society.

In contrast, leaders like C.N. Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi, M.G. Ramachandran, Jayalalithaa, and N.T. Rama Rao transitioned from cinema to politics and brought about substantial political and economic changes that benefited their followers and the broader population. If Kamal Haasan seeks to replicate their achievements, he has much to learn. People in the industry believe that he is still willing to learn, even at this stage of his life. I wish him well in that regard. As far as his maiden speech in Parliament is concerned, my conclusion remains unchanged: it was one more wasted opportunity. No one could comprehend what he spoke. It clarified nothing. At this rate, he may draw his salary as a Member of Parliament and eventually receive a pension, but beyond that, his parliamentary presence has not benefited anyone in our society