‘Fan’ Shivarajkumar recalls not showering for 3 days after Kamal Haasan hugged him: ‘I wanted his odour on me’

Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam’s Thug Life is all set to hit theatres in June. On Saturday, the makers organised an audio launch event in Chennai, which was attended by Kannada superstar Shivarajkumar as a special guest. During the event, Shivarajkumar expressed his deep admiration for Kamal and recalled how he didn’t bathe for three days after receiving a hug from the superstar. (Also Read: Kamal Haasan says he and Mani Ratnam ‘want the audience to forget Nayakan’ when they watch Thug Life)

Shivarajkumar expresses his love for Kamal Haasan

Shivarajkumar recounted his first meeting with Kamal in the presence of his father, legendary Kannada actor Dr Rajkumar. He said, “One day, he came over to our home and was talking to my dad. I stood there, quietly admiring him. He saw me and, upon learning that I was my dad’s son, he came and gave me a handshake. I asked if I could give him a hug, and he gladly said yes. After that, I did not shower for three days. I wanted his smell and odour to stay on me. I’m such a huge fan of his.”

He further expressed his affection for the actor and shared how Kamal once made him feel as though he were speaking to his own father. He recalled, “I still remember, I was in Miami last December for surgery. After that, Kamal sir phoned me. He was in Chicago at the time. It made me so happy. He told me, ‘You don’t know, Shivanna, I have tears in my eyes after speaking to you.’ I can never forget that—it felt like I was talking to my dad.”

For the unversed, Shivarajkumar underwent surgery to remove a cancerous bladder at a Miami-based hospital in the US. Following the successful procedure, he thanked his fans and well-wishers. In a video, he shared, “I was scared even before, but fans, relatives, co-artists, and doctors—especially Dr Shashidhar who treated me—and the nurses made me strong. I went through chemotherapy, and honestly, I don’t know how I managed. But in the end, when I was ready to go for treatment in Miami, I was still scared. However, my friends, family, and loved ones were by my side.”

About Thug Life

The gangster action drama, directed by Mani Ratnam, marks his reunion with Kamal Haasan after 38 years since their iconic film Nayakan. The film stars Kamal in the lead role, alongside Silambarasan, Trisha Krishnan, Abhirami, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Ashok Selvan, Joju George, Nassar, Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi, Rohit Saraf, and Baburaj. It is scheduled to release in cinemas on June 5.