Actor Kamal Haasan Set To Contest Rajya Sabha Polls with DMK's Support; To File Nomination Soon
MNM chief and actor Kamal Haasan is poised to enter the Rajya Sabha through a poll pact with the DMK. Meanwhile, PMK MP Anbumani Ramadoss may face a tough battle to retain his seat, as he lacks support from either of the major Dravidian parties. The upcoming Rajya Sabha elections are stirring considerable political interest in Tamil Nadu, with the DMK and AIADMK likely to win four and two seats, respectively. The election is scheduled for June 19, with vote counting set for 5 PM the same day. n18oc_indian18oc_politicsNews18 Mobile App - https://onelink.to/desc-youtube
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
27 minutes ago
- India Gazette
"Despite political differences, we stand together," Kanimozhi after meeting EAM Jaishankar along with all-party delegation
New Delhi [India], June 5 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar interacted with the All-Party Delegation led by DMK MP Kanimozhi, following their recent multi-nation visit to Russia, Latvia, Slovenia, Greece, and Spain. Sharing an update on X, Jaishankar wrote, 'Glad to interact with the All Party Delegation led by @KanimozhiDMK that visited Russia, Latvia, Slovenia, Greece and Spain.' The delegation's visit was part of a global outreach initiative aimed at briefing key nations on Operation Sindoor and India's counter-terrorism stance following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, who led the delegation, said the visit was 'very positive' and underscored that its bipartisan nature--comprising mostly opposition MPs and one BJP MP--reflected India's united stand against terrorism on the global stage. Speaking after the return, Kanimozhi emphasised that terrorism linked to Pakistan affects not just India but the global community, calling for collective international action to curb terror. 'The visit was a very positive one... the delegation mostly had opposition MPs and one BJP MP, which in itself was a message to the countries that India stands as one. In spite of our political differences, we stand together as one country... Every time there has been an act of terrorism in India, we have been able to trace it back to Pakistan. It just doesn't stop with India.... the whole world has to be cautious in ending terror... no country should sponsor terrorism,' she said. The all-party delegation included Rajeev Rai (Samajwadi Party), Mian Altaf Ahmad (Jammu and Kashmir National Conference), Brijesh Chowta (BJP), Prem Chand Gupta (Rashtriya Janata Dal), Ashok Kumar Mittal (Aam Aadmi Party), and former envoys Manjeev S Puri and Jawed Ashraf. Earlier, Jaishankar met with the All-Party Delegation led by Sanjay Kumar Jha, which recently completed a multi-nation visit to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Jaishankar took to Twitter to share his thoughts, saying, 'Nice to meet with the All Party Delegation led by @SanjayJhaBihar that visited Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.' Speaking after the meeting, JDU MP Sanjay Jha said, 'We met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and gave him feedback about our visit to five countries... We shared our experiences during our visit to five countries with him. During our five-nation visit, we explained the whole situation with facts and told them that cross-border terrorism has been taking place in India for four decades.' Alongside Jha, the delegation included MPs from various parties -- BJP's Aparajita Sarangi, Brij Lal, Pradan Baruah, Hemang Joshi; TMC's Abhishek Banerjee; CPI-M's John Brittas; and Congress leader Salman Khurshid -- reflecting a unified national stance against terrorism. The multi-nation visit underscored India's commitment to regional peace, security, and development through strengthened engagement with key countries in East and Southeast Asia. (ANI)
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Thug Life Releases All Over India Amid Language Row, No Shows In Karnataka
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Kamal Haasan's film Thug Life has released globally but not in Karnataka due to controversy. No screenings of Thug Life are available in major Karnataka cities, including Bengaluru and Mysuru. The film is facing boycott in Karnataka over Haasan's remarks that "Kannada was born out of Tamil". Kamal Haasan-starrer Thug Life has released everywhere in India and the rest of the world, but in Karnataka amid the controversy over the veteran cinema star's "Kannada was born of out Tamil" remarks. According to the official website of online ticketing platform BookMyShow, there were "no watch options" for Thug Life in Karnataka. This includes no shows for the movie in the state's capital Bengaluru, and other major cities such as Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubbali, Kolar, Kalaburgi, and Shivamogga. Screenshot of BookMyShow website showing "no watch options" of Thug Life in Karnataka. Last week, the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) threatened to ban the film over Haasan's comments. As the controversy spread, Haasan went to the Karnataka High Court to ensure its release in the state. The high court, however, cautioned the Tamil star about misusing free speech, urging him to apologise. An adamant Haasan, who also serves as producer on Thug Life along with its director Mani Ratnam and Udhayanidhi Stalin, refused to apologise for his comments. He also decided to not release the film in the state right now. Thug Life marks the reunion of Haasan and Ratnam almost 40 years after their celebrated movie Nayakan. Meanwhile, Haasan expressed grief over the stampede near the M Chinnaswamy Stadium which occurred in Bengaluru on Wednesday during the felicitation ceremony of the winning IPL team Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Eleven people died and 47 were injured as thousands tried to enter the stadium. "Heart wrenching tragedy in Bangalore. Deeply distressed and my heart reaches out to the families of the victims in this moment of grief. May the injured recover soon," he wrote on X on Wednesday night. — Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) June 4, 2025
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Kamal Haasan's Thug Life: Age Gaps Don't Matter In Indian Cinema If You Are A Man
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Kamal Haasan's film "Thug Life" sparked controversy over his age difference with co-stars. Critics argue that older male actors often romance significantly younger actresses without scrutiny. The ongoing discussion raises questions about age, gender, and representation in modern cinema. New Delhi: "If the heroine's father doesn't have a problem, then why do you?" That, ladies and gentlemen, is Salman Khan's response to the ever-widening age-gap discourse in Indian cinema. And while his delivery may have been peppered with punchlines, the problem is anything but new or funny. As Kamal Haasan's much-hyped Thug Life releases in India (except for Karnataka) today, it's not the story or the legendary actor's return to the big screen that's grabbing headlines. Instead, it's the controversies. Be it Kamal Haasan's defiance in the face of the Tamil vs Kannada language row, or the nearly 30-year age difference between Haasan (70) and his leading ladies, Trisha Krishnan (42) and Abhirami (42), coupled with their romantic scenes, that have social media locked in yet another familiar debate. Love In The Time Of Longevity The trailer of Thug Life, directed by the acclaimed Mani Ratnam, dropped like a bomb, not because of plot twists, but because of glimpses of Kamal Haasan sharing romantic and kissing scenes with his much younger co-stars. While many fans welcomed the vintage charisma of Haasan, a large section of the Internet expressed discomfort with what they see as the film industry's continuing obsession with older male actors romancing women "young enough to be their daughters". Kamal Haasan older daughter Shruti, in fact, is actually in the same age bracket: 39. The backlash was swift. The Internet called it a "glorified midlife fantasy," questioning whether such age-gap portrayals were appropriate or even relevant in modern storytelling. But both the actresses in question quickly addressed the brewing storm. "Nowadays, anything can become a controversy. We can't escape that," Abhirami said, urging fans to wait for context before judging. She said, "I'm not someone who can question Mani Ratnam sir's logic in casting me in that scene in question is only three seconds long. What was shown in the trailer created some misunderstandings, that's all." Trisha echoed a similar sentiment, noting that she anticipated the chatter long before signing on. "I think that's something I knew when they announced the film and I had not even signed it. So, that's when I knew, wow, this is magic. So, all of us as actors, we were like, oh damn, we have to do some work here. We've got to stop staring at them. So, it was magic," she said, recalling the surreal experience of working again with Haasan and Ratnam. Director Mani Ratnam, never the one to shy away from complex storytelling, defended his casting choices. He argued that audiences must distinguish between "real-life identities and fictional characters". Age-gap relationships, he said, exist in society, and cinema must reflect society. Bollywood's Long History Of "Forever Young" Heroes But Thug Life is hardly the first to ignite this conversation. In fact, it's just the latest in a long string of films where older male actors have comfortably stepped into romantic leads opposite significantly younger actresses and often without much consequence. Take Salman Khan, for instance. His recent Eid release Sikandar, directed by AR Murugadoss and co-starring Rashmika Mandanna, stirred the same controversy. Rashmika is 31 years younger than Salman, yet plays his romantic interest. At the trailer launch, the actor quipped, "They say there is a 31-year difference between the heroine and me. If the heroine doesn't have a problem, or if the heroine's father doesn't have a problem, then why do you have a problem?" He added, "When she gets married and has a daughter, and if her daughter becomes a big star, then I will work with her too-with her mother's permission, of course." Sikandar the film in fact also touches upon the (very visible) age gap between Sanjay (Salman Khan) and Saisri (Rashmika Mandanna), when the latter says that their age gap might be significant, but their " soch" were in sync. Then there was Tiku Weds Sheru, where Nawazuddin Siddiqui, in his late 40s, romanced 21-year-old Avneet Kaur, sharing a much-criticised kissing scene. When backlash erupted, he offered this justification and said, "Romance is ageless. The problem is that the young men have no romance left... Today, Shah Rukh Khan continues to do romantic roles because the young generation is ' nalli ' (useless). They don't know romance." Malayalam superstar Mohanlal faced similar scrutiny when paired with the much younger Malavika Mohanan in Hridayapoorvam. When a fan presumed she was cast as his romantic interest, Malavika clapped back: "Who told you it's a love interest? Stop judging people and a film with your half-baked, baseless assumptions." Mohanlal, for his part, simply said that if an actor is "confident and healthy, age shouldn't be a barrier". If The Tables Had Turned... What's striking and what really fuels the fire is the glaring hypocrisy when roles are reversed. When Aishwarya Rai Bachchan starred opposite a nine-year younger Ranbir Kapoor in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, the Internet exploded with hot takes. Suddenly, age was a problem. Rai's being a mother was mentioned. Her marriage was dissected. Her "appropriateness" was questioned. But where is that energy when Salman romances actresses like Disha Patani (Bharat, Radhe) or Saiee Manjrekar (Dabangg 3), or when Akshay Kumar is paired with Sara Ali Khan (Atrangi Re), Manushi Chhillar (Prithviraj) or Kriti Sanon (Housefull 4)? All of whom have a 20-plus-year age gap? Actor Ratna Pathak Shah summed it up perfectly: "When male actors are not ashamed to romance actresses who are younger than their daughters, what should I say?" And it's not just her. Voices across the industry have started calling out this uncomfortable cinematic pattern. While the same scrutiny seldom applies to men, ageing actresses find themselves slowly pushed out of romantic narratives, unless they're cast as someone's mother, or worse, grandmother. Case in point: 40-year-old Ridhi Dogra playing 59-year-old Shah Rukh Khan's mother in Jawan. Internet's Verdict Is Nothing New Social media continues to be a battleground for these discussions. While defenders of these films argue for creative freedom and character logic, critics call out the recurring pattern that favours patriarchal aesthetics over progressive representation. The Internet, quite frankly, is tired. Tweets, memes and Reddit threads routinely drag male stars for "playing lover boys with grey hair", while ignoring equally talented female actors ageing off-screen, sidelined into irrelevance. One recurring online argument asks: What if the roles were reversed? What if a 70-year-old actress kissed a 40-something man in a mainstream film trailer? Would it still be called "magic"? We all know the answer. So... Is Age Just A Number? There's no denying that older actors can be charismatic, fit and bankable. And in some cases, age-gap romances are narratively justified. But when such pairings become the norm rather than the exception, especially at the cost of giving older actresses romantic roles, the optics begin to feel stale. As Thug Life releases today, the spotlight is back on Kamal Haasan's performance and Mani Ratnam's storytelling. But the underlying question won't disappear: In a progressive society, is it finally time to rethink how age, gender and desirability are portrayed on screen? Because no matter how charming the punchlines are, the punch still lands. And not always in the right place.
