Kamal
Haasan’s
Comment
Kamal
Haasan,
in
a
media
interaction
with
Vijay
Sethupathi,
responding
to
a
question
on
him
doing
commercial
films,
had
said,
"Idhu
ticket
pottu
seiyira
vayabaram
dhane,
dharmathuku
naa
paadra
paatu
illaye.
Thygayyar,
eppadi
Ramanai
potri
Thanjavur
veedhila
pichai
eduthu
padittu
irundhaaro,
appadi
patta
kalai
illaye."(This
(filmmaking)
business
is
all
about
selling
tickets
right,
it's
not
like
I
am
doing
charity.
It's
not
Thyagaraj
kind
of
art,
who
begged
in
the
streets
of
Thanjavur
singing
praises
of
Lord
Rama.)
Petition
Against
Kamal
Haasan
Kamal
Haasan's
statement
hurt
the
Carnatic
music
fraternity
and
musician
Palghat
Ramprasad
started
a
petition
seeking
an
apology
from
the
actor.
Ramprasad
told
the
Times
of
India,
"Before
coming
out
with
this
petition,
I
did
my
homework
and
watched
the
video
multiple
times.
I
may
not
be
as
famous
as
Kamal
Haasan,
but
if
I
can
be
responsible
by
being
this
thorough,
he
should
be
responsible
about
what
he
is
saying,
too.
He
is
well
aware
of
this
form
of
music
and
has
learnt
under
Dr
M
Balamuralikrishna.
He
cannot
hurt
people's
sentiments
in
order
to
get
cheap
publicity.
It
looks
like
there
was
a
malicious
intent
to
his
statement
as
it
was
totally
out
of
context.
Over
16,000
people
have
signed
the
petition,
and
I
hope
it
turns
into
a
PIL.
He
has
to
apologise."
Bharat
Sundar
Says
"There
are
basic
factual
errors
in
what
Kamal
spoke.
Sri
Thyagaraja
did
not
beg
for
alms
or
earn
his
living
by
singing
songs.
Unchavrithi
is
dharma
and
it
should
not
be
belittled.
I
don't
want
to
approach
this
issue
in
a
sentimental
manner
or
assign
any
agenda
to
Kamal's
statement.
All
I
will
say
is
it
is
factually
wrong,
and
it
would
be
nice
if
he
apologised
or
rephrased
what
he
said."
Ramanathan
Iyer
Expresses
"Kamal's
remark
was
out
of
place
and
unnecessary.
However,
demanding
an
apology
is
giving
too
much
importance
to
this
issue.
Sri
Thyagaraja's
legacy
needs
no
validation.
I
just
feel
we
are
giving
Kamal
Haasan
more
mileage.
Sri
Thyagaraja's
legacy
is
monumental
and
nobody
needs
to
defend
or
attack
it,"
said
Bharat,
a
carnatic
singer.
Gayathri
Venkataraghavan
Shares
"Unchavrithi
simply
refers
to
renunciation.
It
included
community
participation,
where
people
donated
small
amounts
of
rice,
pulses
etc
to
saints/bhagavathars,
who
were
solely
involved
in
singing/praying
for
universal
welfare.
And
this
is
not
equivalent
to
begging.
It
was
a
unique
way
to
bring
together
the
Lord's
devotees"
said
the
vocalist.