‘Milan', the annual national inter-college cultural festival at SRM University in Kattankulathur, began on Wednesday with eminent singer M. Balamuralikrishna and actor Vikram inaugurating the event.
Nearly 8,000 students from colleges outside Tamil Nadu would be taking part in the four-day festival, in addition to students from the host institution and other colleges in Chennai.
Around 50 events would be part of the festival.
Vikram made a brief speech and preferred interacting with students, who were eager to quiz the actor on various aspects of his profession.
Pointing to a “coincidence”, Vikram told the gathering that he got to know on Wednesday that the University of Milan, Italy, had decided to confer an honorary doctorate in Fine Arts on the actor. “This is the first time I am making this announcement in public and I am happy to do that at ‘Milan',” he said to a thunderous applause.
He said he had completed shooting for ‘Deiva Magan' and his next film would be with director Suseendran.
To a question on whether he would plunge into politics, he said: “I do not know to make speeches on stage and I do not know to wear dhoti still,” as the crowd roared in laughter.
To a question on a multi-starrer project including him and to be directed by Maniratnam, Vikram said talks were still on.
“Music is life”
Mr. Balamuralikrishna said music was life and that young people had to learn, enjoy and appreciate music and added that he hoped the University would start a Department of Music soon.
P. Sathyanarayanan, Vice Chancellor of the University, M. Ponnavaiko, Provost, T.P.Ganesan, Pro Vice Chancellor, N.Sethuraman, Registrar, T.P. Ganesan, and Anuradha Parakkat, Director, Corporate Affairs and Student Mentoring were among others who were present and spoke on the occasion.
