Kamal Haasan refuses to term Vijay as an ‘enemy’; says he's in no position to advise his ‘brother’ ahead of TN elections
Kamal Haasan spoke about Vijay at an event he attended in Kerala and spoke about their politics. Here's what he said.
Actors Kamal Haasan and Manju Warrier attended a session at the Hortus Art and Literature Festival in Kerala. While on stage, Kamal, the founder of the centrist party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) and a Rajya Sabha MP, was asked about his political rival, Vijay, the founder of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Here’s how he responded.
Kamal Haasan says his biggest political rival isn’t Vijay
Kamal was asked on stage about how Vijay’s TVK has identified a clear political rival in the sitting party, the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu elections. When asked about MNM’s rival, he replied, “My enemy is bigger than what most parties would dare to identify. My enemy, direct enemy…I’ll go for the kill, is casteism. Why use a violent word like kill? Because casteism is very, very violent. It has to be dealt with deliberately, quickly, and as soon as possible. That is my enemy, I have chosen my enemy, it’s a big enemy.”
Kamal Haasan not in a position to advise Vijay
Kamal was also asked if he had any advice for Vijay, given that he had formed his party in 2018 while the latter had formed his in 2024. Stating that he has also been seeking advice from Chief Ministers, he replied, “I am not in a position to give advice. I never took advice because it never came to me at the right moment. Maybe it’s not the right moment to advise my brother. Experience is a better teacher than any of us because we have a bias; experience doesn’t. It just comes, gives you what you deserve to learn.”
Kamal last starred in Mani Ratnam’s Thug Life this year, which received a lukewarm response. He will soon star in an untitled project by the duo Anbariv and produce a film starring Rajinikanth. Vijay was last seen in Venkat Prabhu’s 2024 film The GOAT. His last film is touted to be H Vinoth’s Jana Nayagan, which is set to hit screens for Pongal 2026.
