Did You Know Kamal Haasan Refused To Star In Shankar’s Gentleman? Here's Why

Director Shankar's Gentleman, while a box office success, has divided the audience. Many of the ideas put forth in the narrative have sparked criticism over time. Shankar's debut film, Gentleman (1993), was criticised for depicting an upper caste boy committing suicide after failing to obtain a medical seat. In an old interview, Kamal Haasan mentioned that he had an issue with the film's plot and that he refused to do it for the same reason.

Kamal Haasan does not take up films that do not align with his ideology

In an old interview on the YouTube channel Touring Talkies, Kamal Haasan said that he doesn’t wish to do films that do not align with his ideology. When asked on how he felt off camera while doing his hit film titled Indian, Kamal said, “If I have differences of opinion and ideologies with films, I have said I can’t do it and have steered away from projects. For example, initially, Shankar’s Gentleman had a different story. It was about the militancy of a Brahmin boy. I said I can’t do this and refused. I also asked him to change the story even if he was going to do it. And I realized that’s what they had done.”

What was Gentleman about?

Gentleman, starring Arjun, Madhubala and others, is, like many of Shankar's films, about a vigilante who robs corrupt politicians in order to build a free education institute for people. The vigilante is motivated by the death of a friend who, despite high board exam scores, is unable to obtain a medical degree. Critics accused the film of indirectly criticising the reservation system.

Currently, Kamal Haasan is gearing up for his upcoming film titled Indian 2. The film features Siddharth, Rakul Preet Singh and others in prominent roles. The film is likely to release in June this year.