Subhash K Jha (DNA; June 4, 2017)

With Shruti Haasan’s next, Behen Hogi Teri, being mired in controversy, her father Kamal Haasan isn’t surprised at all. Been there, seen that? Of course, the controversy in Shruti’s case involves her co-star Rajkummar Rao posing on a motorbike dressed as Lord Shiva. Kamal, on the other hand, got into hot water over a remark he made on the Mahabharat.

The veteran actor says such fundamentalist attacks are now part-and-parcel of the profession. He admits, “I was not the least bit surprised with such extreme retaliations. Our country is quickly losing its sense of humour. The sooner we realise it, the better for all of us in this business of entertainment.”

While he sounds worried about his daughter’s safety, he says that she knows where she stands. “It will all settle down, I hope. In any case, Shruti takes her own career decisions. We don’t discuss work when we meet. Unlike me, she is very sure of what she wants,” he says. Kamal will be watching Behen Hogi Teri soon. “Yes, I will see it soon. For a very long time, I stayed away from Shruti’s films, fearful that I will be either over-critical or over-indulgent. But now, I think we can both look at each other’s work dispassionately.”The weird world of yoga!