Actor Kamal Haasan on Thursday revealed that he had received an invitation as early as in 1983 from DMK leader M. Karunanidhi to join the party.
“There are tweets wondering whether I am joining the party. Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) sent me a telegram requesting me to join the DMK in 1983. I did not have the courage to reveal it and respond to his request. But he never asked me about it after that. It shows his greatness. I believe I will get similar respect on the dais today,” Mr. Haasan said while participating at the platinum jubilee celebrations of Murasoli , the DMK mouthpiece founded by Mr. Karunanidhi.
Mr. Haasan said that when he was told actor Rajinikanth was also attending the function as one among the audience, he said that he too could sit with him there.
‘Question of self-respect’
“Later, I stood before the mirror and asked myself what was important. Self- protection or self-respect, and came to the conclusion that self-respect was important. I also ran a magazine and I am sitting with journalists of 100-year-old newspapers. The coming together of these journalists will give Tamil Nadu a new experience,” he said.
Reiterating that the idea of Dravidian was not confined to the southern States, he said it had a pan-Indian identity. The country has also understood it, he said.
Man of letters
Citing dramatist Arthur Miller that a “good newspaper is a nation talking to itself”, N. Ram, Chairman, Kasturi and Sons Ltd., said Murasoli was “society talking to itself the ideas of rationalism, secularism and pluralism.”
He said Mr. Karunanidhi treated writing as “daily yoga.”
“Many leaders have brilliant ideas. But they do not allocate time for reading. Kalaignar read and wrote regularly. He always remained a student,” he said.
Appreciating the trust formed to ensure that Murasoli was published without any hitch, Mr. Ram said the longevity of a newspaper could be ensured only by the commitment of the core leadership.
“He has the passion. The successor should also follow him and accommodate divergent views,” he said.
Former editor of the newspaper Murasoli Selvam said Mr. Karunanidhi always believed that the paper would defend the party against any attacks.
B. Srinivasan, managing director of the Vikatan group, said a newspaper alone could sustain the existence of a political party.
Mr. Rajinikanth, who attended the function as one among the audience, was presented a memento and a shawl.
In the spotlight was Udayanidhi Stalin, actor and son of DMK working president M.K. Stalin. He was helping his father, who honoured the dignitaries.
Lyricist Vairamuthu jocularly remarked that Mr. Stalin, who had succeeded in booking the State-owned Kalaivanar Arangam for the Murasoli function, could easily capture power.
Nakkeeran Editor R. R. Gopal, Dinamani Editor Vaidhyanathan, Resident Editor of The Times of India Arun Ram, Deccan Chronicle Consulting Editor R. Bhagwan Singh, Dinamalar Deputy Editor K. Ramesh and Dinakaran News Editor Manoj Kumar were among those who participated in the event.
