Kamal urges fans not to celebrate his birthday

Kamal HaasanUrging his fans to refrain from celebrating his birthday on November 7, as he was "deeply hurt by the killing of Tamils in Sri Lanka", Kamal Haasan asked them to 'redirect' their energy and enthusiasm towards human compassion.

The South superstar said that he would feel proud if his birthday can be used as a tiny fulcrum to leverage public opinion against the genocide. Expressing solidarity with the Tamils in Sri Lanka, Kamal said: "Many are dying for a reason so unbelievably simple. They speak the same language - Tamil - as I do."

The actor, while stating that he was not qualified to offer solutions to the Sri Lankan problem, said that in the 10,000-year-old human civilization, language, color, creed and caste could no more be used as excuses for intolerance.

Kamal Hasan also made it clear that he could not bring himself to celebrate his birthday, "when our neighbors are helpless spectators to genocide and mass funerals".

In a statement released, the versatile actor also said: "An individual's birthday loses credence or importance when genocide is practiced in our neighboring island with renewed vigor."

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