Kamal Haasan meets the Dalai Lama

Kamal Haasan’s dream came true earlier this week. He met the Dalai Lama on November 10, and the meeting lasted a good hour.

"I have always admired his resilience and purpose," says Kamal Haasan. "Being a fan of Gandhiji, it is not to too far-fetched to become the Dalai Lama’s admirer. I am rationalist and hence not spiritually bent, yet my meeting was invigorating and purposeful.”

Regarding the Dalai Lama’s interest in his work, Kamal Haasan laughs.

"My lack of interest in matters of things spiritual in nature was matched by his disinterest in cinema," he says. "'I have not watched a single movie, not even television,' he told me with a smile."

But the Dalai Lama felt Kamal Haasan could use his power to spread the message of peace.

"He felt that I could use my craft and medium to propagate the great philosophy offered to the world by India: Ahinsa (non-violence). I confirmed my faith in Ahinsa and said I will venture soon in that direction," the actor adds.

Kamal Haasan came away impressed.

"For a man of his position he indulged in small talk with abandon; a sign of a man who had no worldly worries. Above all, he loved the company of strangers. He reminded me of a 2,000-year-old Jain Tamil poetry, which  goes, 'Everywhere is my town. All are my kin' (Yaadum ooray yaavarum kay lir).

Kamal Haasan was accompanied by his companion, Gautami.