Kamal Haasan honored, calls for "One Cinema, Indian Cinema"

Tamil actor, producer, and politician Kamal Haasan was honored with the prestigious Paidi Jairaj Film Award in Hyderabad. The award, presented by Telangana Chief Minister Anumula Revanth Reddy and actor Nagarjuna, recognizes Haasan's remarkable career spanning over six decades.

During his acceptance speech, Haasan referred to Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi, who was present, as his "brother." He playfully remarked that Chiranjeevi was his senior in politics but junior in cinema, noting that both became lead actors in the 1970s. Haasan emphasized the interconnectedness of the film industry, stating that the shift of film activities from Chennai to Hyderabad was merely a "house shift" for the same industry.

Haasan also appealed to the Telangana Chief Minister to champion a unified "Indian Cinema," advocating for the dissolution of regional industry labels like Hollywood, Tollywood, Bollywood, and Sandalwood. He expressed gratitude for the awards being named after the revolutionary poet Gaddar, stating his admiration for the poet. Haasan reminisced about his early days in Hyderabad, starting as an assistant director at 16 and his long-standing professional relationship with director Singeetham Srinivasa Rao.