Kamal Haasan extends birthday wishes to ‘friend' Rahul Gandhi: 'May you continue to lead with compassion'

Veteran actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president Kamal Haasan on Wednesday extended warm birthday greetings to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, lauding him as a leader who continues to inspire with 'compassion and magnanimity.' (Also read: Even as SC allows release of Kamal Haasan's Thug Life in Karnataka, distributor says it 'makes no business sense')
On 19 June, Kamal took to his X (formerly Twitter) account and wrote, 'Wishing my friend @RahulGandhi a very happy birthday. May you continue on the path of unity, compassion, and courage - with the same quiet resolve and steel that have defined you.'
The two leaders have appeared together in the past, including during Rahul's Bharat Jodo Yatra, where Kamal joined him in Delhi to express solidarity with the initiative aimed at fostering national unity.
Rahul, who currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and marked his 55th birthday, received wishes from across the political spectrum. Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the Congress leader, wishing him 'a long and healthy life'.
'Birthday greetings to the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Shri Rahul Gandhi. May he be blessed with a long and healthy life,' the prime minister posted on X.
Kamal sparked controversy during the Thug Life audio launch in May 2025 by stating that 'Kannada was born out of Tamil,' drawing sharp backlash from pro-Kannada groups and the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, which banned the film's release in the state and demanded an apology.
Haasan refused to retract his comment, citing respect for linguistic history and freedom of expression. The matter escalated to the Supreme Court, which upheld the film's right to release and criticised attempts to suppress speech.
Thug Life marks Kamal and Mani Ratnam's reunion after 37 years, the first since their iconic collaboration for Naayakan. However, the film received unfavourable reviews and has only earned ₹96 crore in two weeks.

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