PremiumKamal Haasan about Mahatma Gandhi: 'He changed the course of human history'
Many may not be aware that in his youth, Kamal Haasan held critical views of Mahatma Gandhi, opposing his ideals.
Last Updated: 09.26 AM, Oct 02, 2023
Actor-director Kamal Haasan paid a rich tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti on October 2. He remembered the Father of the Nation as a man who redefined the idea of freedom struggle around the world. He noted that while violence seemed like the only possible method for securing one's freedom, Gandhi reimagined the freedom struggle with his non-violence approach.
"He carried upon his frail shoulders the hopes and dreams of an ancient civilisation, yearning to wake from its colonial slumber, by mobilising the innate craving for freedom that resides in every human being and turning it into a social force. Before Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, for millennia, nations had known only one way of defeating each other - war. He changed the course of human history by defeating a superpower with Ahimsa and the will of the masses," wrote Kamal Haasan on his X, formerly Twitter.
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Kamal also remembered Gandhi as a man who practised what he preached, embodying his message through his own life. "His truth was not spoken from a pulpit but was seen among the people and his principles were not preached in theory but practised in his daily life. Gandhi Ji will be remembered by just and moral freemen for all of human history as long as peace and love reside in our hearts," Kamal added.
Kamal Haasan's cinematic tribute to Gandhi
Many may not be aware that in his youth, Kamal held critical views of Gandhiji, opposing his ideals. However, his view about Gandhi changed as he grew older. Once he had described his movie Hey Ram as an apology letter to Gandhi.
Hey Ram tells the story of a man brain-washed into the plan of assassinating Gandhi. However, as the story progresses, the protagonist gets an unfiltered view of Gandhi, devoid of hatred, his animosity evolves into admiration.