Kamal Haasan strongly reiterates his opinion on Jallikattu

Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan reiterated his uncompromising support for Jallikattu today. Yes he reiterated his stance he has been holding for many years now.

There have been many instances in which the traditional Bull taming sport of Tamil Nadu has been captured in popular Tamil film but it is Kamal Haasans's directorial flick 'Virumaandi' that captured Jallikattu with great detailing and nuances. It is not a mere coincidence that the film released for Pongal 2004.

When he participated as a celebrity guest in a television program in 2013, while answering about a question on the Spanish Bull fight event, the Ulaganayagan made it a point to underscore the difference between the Spanish event and that of the Tamils. Remember, that was the time when the so called Animal welfare organisations were strongly campaigning against Jallikattu but Supreme Court had not banned it. In that program itself he said Jallikattu is not a form of violence unlike the Spanish event.

After the SC banned Jallikattu in May 2014, Kamal Haasan has been time and again expressing his opinion in favour of lifting the ban

Now it is January 2017 and Pongal festival is just a few days away. The debate about Jallikattu has taken the centre stage again. Many celebrities from the film industry as well as from other walks of life are doing whatever best they can do to save the sport seen as a symbol of Tamil culture and pride.

Kamal Haasan in his interview to a Tamil news channel again clearly voiced out that Jallikattu is NOT VIOLENCE.

"Jallikattu is a competition. Though people call it with many names, according to me ஏறுதழுவதல் (which can be loosely translated as  Embracing the bull) is the most apt name for it. The kindness in this word explains what the sport is all about. We can not compare it with the bull fights in western countries. There, the After the fight the animal will go to the food plates as meat. But here the same bull will be nurtured again with love and care.and it will come to the game again."