I will quit India it this happens again: Kamal Haasan

Actor-director Kamal Haasan warned Thursday that he would “seriously leave” India if similar protests again envelop his films.

The versatile actor, who threatened Wednesday to quit India over the opposition to his Tamil-Telugu movie “Vishwaroopam”, said that he wanted justice.

“In anger and in an emotional outburst I had said I will leave the country,” he told the media. “But if this happens again, I will seriously leave. It is not that I will leave this fame and glory. I enjoy that.

“I was angry (when I spoke earlier) and I am still angry,” he added.

But Kamal Haasan thanked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa after she said she was doing her best to resolve the impasse over the movie, which has run into protests from Muslim groups.

He said he was overwhelmed by the support he got all over the country — from fans, the media and the film industry.

“I get carried away when I talk about my fans. I really don’t know what I did to deserve this love from my fans. I am touched.

“If I say I am grateful and overwhelmed, then it’s an understatement. I am here to thank everyone including the media for all the support I got,” Kamal Haasan said.

He added: “I want to thank the film fraternity who stood by me… Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Mahesh Bhatt, Javed (Akhtar), Aamir Khan.”

The actor said the delay in the release of his Tamil-Telugu film, which has been banned for 15 days in Tamil Nadu, had led to a loss of Rs.30-60 crore.

Referring to his film’s distributor, he said: “But Jeetendra, who is supporting me, said whatever has happened, (take it) as a lottery…”

Kamal Haasan has begun work on “Vishwaroopam 2”.