Even as superstar Kamal Haasan began his much-anticipated maiden political tour on Wednesday, the state government denied him permission to visit the A.P.J. Abdul Kalam School at Ramanathapuram, which had been on his original itinerary.
Haasan started his tour with a visit to the home of late president Kalam in Rameswaram, calling it a 'simple man's abode'. Haasan's plan to visit the school were disrupted by the district administration denying permission on the grounds that it was a political event.
Haasan also met fishermen, many of whom have faced harassment by the Sri Lankan Navy. He hinted at the possibility of more such interactions.
Haasan is scheduled to unveil his prospective party's name and flag at a public meeting in Madurai; the meeting is expected to be attended by Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal.
During the tour, Haasan's cinematic legacy followed him as supporters began showering him with honorifics including Nammavar. He has also been referred to Andavar and Ulaganayakan.
Meanwhile, in an email to his supporters that was sent before the tour began, Haasan highlighted the importance of rural areas. The message, written in Tamil, said, “There is no longer any use in finding faults... Let us create our own dream Tamil Nadu... If rural areas are our national identity, tomorrow is ours.”
Haasan also underscored the importance of Madurai, referring to it as the 'land that contributed to the growth of the Tamil language.'
(With inputs from Lakshmi Subramanian, agencies)