When legendary actor-producer Akkineni Nageswara Rao passed away in January this year, Kamal Haasan was one of the firsts in the industry to pay homage to the icon through a video message. “ANR was my spiritual guru. He was my guru not just in acting, but as a rationalist,” told Kamal Haasan in his condolence message. Now, in his series of interviews to Baradwaj Rangan, Kamal Haasan has recalled his first stint as an assistant choreographer and his memorable encounter with ANR on his 90th birthday.
Apparently, Kamal Haasan’s first work as a dance assistant came when he choreographed ANR in Sreemanthudu which released in 1971. “I met ANR on his 90th birthday. He remembered me as his dance assistant. We were both rationalists. He saw me not bowing to the arati. He asked me, ‘Are you a Muslim?’ I said no. He said, ‘Then why are you not praying?’ I said I don’t believe in it. I’m an atheist. He said, ‘Well, you’ve got a friend in me’,” says Kamal Haasan.