Amid rising war tensions in West Asia, actor Kamal Haasan shared a social media statement calling for restraint and empathy, summing it up as: “Let Iran live; let our land live too.”
In his note, he criticised the tendency of some viewers to celebrate online videos of exploding oil depots “like a cricket six,” while claiming neutrality. He argued that such reactions ignore India’s place in Asia and the real risks that an expanded conflict could pose.
Kamal warned that if the war intensifies, ordinary people could face consequences even as armchair commentators continue to post slogans. He said helping when “a neighbour’s house is on fire” is not sacrifice but basic humanity—and also a form of self-protection.
Pointing to practical fallout, he noted that gas from Arab oil infrastructure supports household cooking and transport, and urged people to think beyond spectacle to essentials like fertiliser needs for upcoming sowing. He also said a large share of the world’s fertiliser and phosphates are concentrated in China and some Gulf countries, and that ignorance and mockery in media do not help the nation.
Quoting a line he wrote for the film Vishwaroopam—“A soldier who goes to war is also a mother’s son; whoever dies, a mother will cry”—he said that mother should not be an Indian mother, adding: “I stand with Asia. Long live India.”
