Veteran South Indian actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan had insisted the politicians of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka not to mix art with politics.

Kamal was speaking in the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of Kannada Film Industry that was held on Sunday evening in Bangalore.

Speaking in his inaugural speech here on the Sunday evening, Kamal said, “Let us put in efforts to strengthen the relationship between the people of the two states. We are like brothers and let's solve the problems without the intervention of others.”

The veteran actor said that the state of Karnataka has given Tamil film industry great actors like Rajnikanth.

Commenting over his close buddy and Tamil superstar, Rajnikanth, Kamal said, “Shivaji Rao Gaekwad is my best competitor and we both are students in Tamil Film Industry.”

Nearly one lakh people on this occasion gave a standing ovation with high spirits for Kamal Haasan’s warm speech in Kannada. He was felicitated with a Shawl and Silver Plaque on this occasion by Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who inaugurated this function.

The stage was dominated by the state cabinet ministers and MLAs. Moreover, the politicians outnumbered the artistes on the stage.

Yeddyurappa speech was no less than an election campaign. On this occasion, the CM said that his government has sanctioned Rs 5 crore and land for the diamond jubilee bhavan in the city. He also made it clear that the government would all the required steps to curb the piracy in the state.

Meanwhile, on Monday Tamil superstar Rajnikanth also urged the politicians to not create divisions between artists of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

“Please don't divide us and don't bring politics into cinema,” Rajnikanth said at a felicitation function organised by the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce.