Kamal Haasan on rejecting 'Ulaganayagan' title, says "If I believed I was the World's hero, I’d be lost'"

Kamal Haasan, a legendary actor, filmmaker, and politician with a career spanning over six decades, is widely celebrated as one of Indian cinema’s most versatile performers. A few months ago, he humbly rejected the honorary title ‘Ulaganayagan’ (Universal Hero), stating that he never believed in such labels and preferred to be seen as a lifelong learner in the world of cinema. Now, Kamal Haasan opened up about the title ‘Ulaganayagan’ (Universal Hero) bestowed upon him and offered a heartfelt perspective. Speaking at a book launch event in Chennai, he said that had he believed he truly was the hero of the world because of this title, it would have been a great personal loss. “If I had taken that title seriously and acted as though I’m the hero of the whole world, I would’ve lost so much. I don’t believe in such things,” he said, showing his humility and grounded nature.
Celebrating Crazy Mohan beyond the stage
The occasion was the release of 25 books written by the late legendary writer and actor Crazy Mohan, held in Mylapore. Kamal Haasan graced the event and launched the books while fondly remembering his long-time collaborator. He expressed that more than being a brilliant playwright, Crazy Mohan was an exceptional human being. Kamal also emphasized the importance of language, adding that language deserves respect and that no matter how advanced technology becomes, spoken language will continue to have value.
Kindness that carved cinema legends
Kamal Haasan also spoke about the importance of compassion, stating that it was director K. Balachander’s kindness that gave him, Rajinikanth, and Chiranjeevi the opportunity to thrive in cinema. He urged everyone to show compassion in all aspects of life. Director K.S. Ravikumar, who was also present, remarked that if modern technology like AI had existed earlier, Crazy Mohan’s writings could have been preserved even better.

Humour, imitations, and emotional moments on stage
In a lighter moment, KS Ravikumar playfully addressed Kamal Haasan’s disapproval of being called ‘Ulaganayagan’ by saying, “Who are you to say we shouldn't call you that? We call you that because we love you.” Actor Jayaram also made the event memorable with a mimicry of Kamal Haasan’s voice, expressing his joy and saying he felt truly blessed to share the stage with the legend.

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