'I will do my duty': Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan takes oath as Rajya Sabha MP in Tamil

Actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan made his parliamentary debut on Friday, 25 July, taking oath in Tamil as a Member of the Rajya Sabha. He took the oath in Tamil and was elected unopposed to the Upper House from Tamil Nadu in June, with the support of the DMK-led alliance.

Delivering his oath, Haasan stated, “I’m going to swear-in and register my name. As an Indian, I will do my duty.”

The nomination came after MNM aligned with the DMK-Congress alliance ahead of the 2024 general elections. Haasan was offered the option of contesting a Lok Sabha seat but opted for the Rajya Sabha, while MNM extended full backing to the alliance during the polls.

Established in 2018, MNM positioned itself as a non-Dravidian alternative to Tamil Nadu’s dominant parties. However, Haasan has since recalibrated his political stance, choosing to align with the DMK. He described the decision as being guided by “national interest rather than personal political gain.”

DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, who had backed Haasan's candidature, congratulated him on assuming office. Alongside Haasan, three others also took oath on Thursday.

This marks Haasan’s first formal entry into Parliament, aligning his political aspirations with legislative responsibilities after launching MNM in 2018 and contesting the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, where he lost by a narrow margin.

Haasan had previously hinted at his plans to enter Parliament. At MNM’s eighth foundation day celebration in Chennai earlier this year, he said, “This year, our voice will be heard in Parliament. Next year, your voice will be heard in the State Assembly.” 

Meanwhile, Haasan has courted controversy over his remarks during the promotion of his upcoming film Thug Life, where he stated that Kannada was born out of Tamil. The comment drew sharp criticism from Kannada groups, leading the Kannada Sahitya Parishat to file a suit against him in a Bengaluru court. The court has barred Haasan from making further comments that could be seen as disrespectful to the Kannada language or culture and has summoned him to appear in August.