When Kamal Haasan called Shah Rukh Khan ‘A connoisseur of art”

As Kamal Haasan gears up for the release of his upcoming gangster action drama ‘Thug Life’ on June 5, let’s take a look at the time when the Tamil actor recalled his collaboration with Shah Rukh Khan in the 2000 bilingual period film 'Hey Ram'.

At the trailer launch of the film ‘Indian 2’, Kamal Haasan heaped praise on Shah Rukh Khan, calling him “a connoisseur of art and a good actor.” Kamal revealed that Shah Rukh did not charge a single rupee for acting in Hey Ram, a film that Kamal himself wrote, directed, and produced.

When we work together, we are all just people”
“In Hey Ram, Shah Rukh sahib made that film for free. That cannot be done by a superstar. That can only be done by a fan, a connoisseur of art. I’m ever thankful to him,” Kamal said, humbly acknowledging SRK’s gesture. He added that when artists collaborate on a project, they don’t see each other through the lens of stardom. “When we work together, we are all just people. I don't see a superstar. He doesn't see a super director. We are friends.”

Hey Ram, a Tamil-Hindi bilingual, featured Kamal Haasan as Saket Ram and Shah Rukh Khan as Amjad Ali Khan, two friends caught in the turmoil of post-partition India. Despite being a niche film with a historical and philosophical narrative, it has since earned a cult following for its bold storytelling and powerful performances.

Up Next: Thug Life Hits Theatres June 5
Kamal Haasan is all set to return to the big screen with Thug Life, a gangster action drama directed by Mani Ratnam, who has co-written the screenplay with Kamal himself. The film marks a major reunion between the two legends after decades, and anticipation is sky-high among fans.