Kamal Haasan will unveil his party's name in Madurai today evening.
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Kamal Haasan's political launch-pad is Madurai, considered the political and cultural capital of Tamil Nadu. This evening, he will reveal the
name of his new party after a 170-km journey during which he will stop to address public meetings. The route is splashed with posters by fans and supporters depicting Kamal Haasan in various avatars, one even morphing him with former president
APJ Abdul Kalam and others comparing him to Gandhi. The choice of Madurai has significance for the 62-year-old actor, who waited for months after announcing his political ambition and held many consultations before the launch.
Five reasons why Kamal Haasan chose Madurai for his political party launchIn 1921, it was Madurai - where Mahatma Gandhi gave up formal wear and adopted loin cloth, which marked an important milestone in the making of "Bapu".
For Kamal it's special because his hometown Paramakudi was originally part of Madurai till several districts were carved out of it for better administration.
Though Chennai is the official capital, politicians in Tamil Nadu are never considered truly powerful unless they have a grip on Madurai.
This evening, he will reveal the name of his new party after a 170-km journey during which he will stop to address public meetings.
Former Chief Minister MG Ramachandran always fought elections in and around Madurai. Actor Vijaykanth also launched his party there in 2005.
Madurai is seen as the land of the Thevars, a politically dominant community that has inspired many Kamal Haasan films. One of his most popular hits was "
Thevar Magan".
Madurai is also seen as the land of the
Tamizhan and Tamil culture.
Connecting with Madurai is connecting with the masses. The city is the nerve-centre of Jallikattu, the bull-taming sport that is deeply linked to public sentiment in the state. In 2004, Kamal Haasan also played the title role of "
Virumaandi" or bull-tamer.