Jack pot!

For years one thing that has not changed in me- admiration and awe for this man: Kamal Hassan! His movies were always what I used to wait for and a group of us would pore over it, the nuances, the hidden messages, comedy and what not.. To talk of his extraordinary and multifaceted talent is to discuss the very obvious- for the nth time..which is what some of us have been doing for years when ever we meet..

He was and is a genius actor..IMO not even Dustin Hoffman could have brought out the ‘obsession’ to screen like he did in Guna..i can go on about anbe sivam, kuruthipunal, hey ram, rajapaarvai..(hey the list is never ending )

In the social side too one knows how he impacted the society. He redefined blood donation and the trend of donating blood on his b’day is huuuge in TN and continues even today after more than 3 decades.  He busted many myths around that..then in eyes- by donating eyes and helping so many 1000s of blind get to see again! In the recent past about organs donation..

We from our organic movement would keep thinking- if only he would voice about organic food, posion free food or farmers’ freedom - the impetus would be enormous..

And personally I have been wanting to meet him- for obvious reasons to talk on various things that one always heard about him..but how and why will he have time..

That happened! Meeting this man- in flesh and blood and discussing almost everything..including food, agriculture, safe food, our recent campaign "India for safe food' and all that..more than 3 solid hours..

Profound…is his knowledge on almost all things..what do I thank? For not only I got to talk about organic food, restore and convince him to consume organic for his health (‘you have a social responsibility of ur health for the sake of many fans like me  and even more to consume ethical, safe and healthy food’ )..yes, he will be restore’s one of the esteemed customers. He will ofcourse help this movement and help take this forward! So my usual learnings and sharing about them on food, agri etc invokes so much interest in this man..but he is deeper..he even quotes ‘ahaaara Nemam’ of Vedanta desikan  (asks me if I have read that; then says read it though I I don’t accept some of the things said out there and ofcourse not any religious stuff mentioned, he clarifies) he has even written a white paper on ethical eating it seems..he has read, written so much..what all he will pull off..with ease – the year or the original name of veeramaamunivar and how he freaked out in tamil in (he went on to quote the original name- Constanto Beski, then  his 1^st entry name then how and why it became veerama munivar and the year when he arrived etc casually)

As we talk – we meander in to various things including some of my ‘best of his movies’ to medicine, allopathy, food, history, inhuman caste system, his childhood, old tamil classics, vegetarianism, shivaite-vaishnavaite fights and jokes..

In the process this man would suddenly turn in to miming or acting some thing and almost perfectly..he showed how the ceremony around death would be carried out. He would talk about how they would all drink and swagger carrying the dead body..oh man! What a walk and in a second his eyes and face turn in to a ‘drunkard’..why he was and is the ‘nayagan’ still..

There were many ideas he threw to take the organic movement forward and offered some areas of his personal help and am elated..thrilled..and genuinely happy about meeting my hero..but more bcos of his sincere interest, courtesy, ideas for the organic movement..

Finally as I wanted and took a photo with him I pulled my regular stunt: I will post this in my blog and he shouldn’t be offended if people mistake me for kamal..smiles all around;-)

As I was above to leave Gowthami  walks in and as I get introduced she claims ‘wow, restore..i have been wanting to contact you and ..’ I almost think she is just being courteous..does she mean she knows our restore? And then she says ‘ you guys had this terrace garden workshop na few days back? I also wanted to attend it..last minute got caught else would have attended..’ she said..oh man! She has been following us really and close. That good..and she is in..sold for restore, organic, composting, growing ones food and what not..Iam sure she will go a long way, for I could see the interest, excitement and commitment.

Day made X 2

(and it would never be complete if I don’t mention his man Friday- mughil who participates, observes, aid kamal with some names/places, pitches in with his knowledge..it really made my day..and was absolute fun to be talking to such people of intensity in almost all that talk and do)

(yes the great Kamal reading our thalanmai;-) u thought I will spare him?)