"Kamal Haasan`s Praise Is My Oscar", Says An Emotional Joju George
Updated on: 26 May, 2025 04:36 PM IST |Shweta Shah
Joju George gets emotional as Kamal Haasan praises him
Malayalam actor Joju George teared up when his idol Kamal Haasan praised his work and appreciated his performance in Iratta at the audio launch of their upcoming film, Thug Life. The event was scheduled on May 24 in Chennai when George broke down listening to the veteran actor`s kind words.
Hours later, the Retro actor shared the clip on his social media and penned a rather heartfelt note. He called Haasan a `universal role model` and said his appreciation was as good as an Oscar for him.
The 47-year-old also got candid about being misunderstood by his own colleagues and how he never received any appreciation from the Malayalam film industry.
At the Thug Life audio launch, the Kalki 2898 AD actor recalled the time he saw Iratta. He said, "I didn`t know who Joju was. Then suddenly, I found myself watching all his films. There`s a film called `Iratta`".
Also Read: "I Knew This Was Magic," Says Trisha on Kamal Haasan Romance in `Thug Life`
Describing the time Haasan played multiple roles in Michael Madana Kama Rajan, he added, "I must have done nearly thirty double roles in my career. In `Michael Madana Kama Rajan`, I didn`t show much of a difference between my four characters in terms of makeup. But Joju, right from the early days, managed double roles with subtlety. In the film, he is in the same police station playing different brothers. But you could immediately differentiate both characters."
"Joju, you`re one of the actors I envy." Kamal concluded, An emotional Joju stood up, folded his hands and started tearing up. Have a look at the clip.
Ivara paathu kathukodaa @rajinikanth pic.twitter.com/uejWvXtwid
— Mʀ.Exᴘɪʀʏ (@Jana_Naayagan) May 25, 2025
Joju George`s kind words for Kamal Haasan
The Iratta actor shared the clip on his Instagram and talked about how his Malayalam co-workers often misunderstood him. He wasn`t fully satisfied until he heard Kamal Haasan`s praises for his work.
"This is my dream come true. I dreamt of getting big awards, but for me, your wonderful words and appreciation of my acting really made me feel like I`d won my Oscar. You are such a big superstar and our universal role model. I`m a huge fan and a good disciple of yours; we always look forward to all your minute moments in acting. So, getting such appreciation from you is my real Oscar," he explained.
On the same note, he also mentioned seeking validation from his own industry and added, "However, from my own field, very few appreciated my roles and words – I mean, from my coworkers. I struggled to share my movie posters with celebrities; mostly, I was always misunderstood without understanding what I was really doing. Many media people and co-workers hurt me badly."
Joju George ended his note by calling Thug Life an `art and emotional masterpiece`, which gave him the courage to move forward.
"From a desperate situation where I was figured out with all negatives without considering my positives, I`m now overwhelmed with happiness. I dedicate this appreciation to all the people who supported me," the 47-year-old concluded.
Thug Life will release on June 5 in cinemas near you.
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