Bhubaneswar: Actor-turned-politician and founder-president of Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) Kamal Haasan met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at Naveen Niwas here on Monday.
The simple lifestyle of the Chief Minister further moved the versatile actor, who claims to be his fan.
“Saw his lifestyle from close and got answers to many of my questions”, Haasan told the media after the meeting which lasted for about an hour.
The MNM founder also elicited some tips from Naveen on running a regional party.
“It was more of receiving advice from a veteran politician. We are watching him and learning from his wisdom,” he said.
Naveen said, “I am delighted that Mr Kamal Hassan is in Bhubaneswar. We had a discussion about his future, political career and prospects and about the films which he is doing.”
He also asked Haasan to plan a longer trip to Odisha.
The actor is in Bhubaneswar to attend a programme at Centurion University of Technology and Management (CUTM), where he will unveil the Butterfly Park on Tuesday.
Haasan will also be awarded CUTM’s first-ever honorary doctorate. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who will grace the occasion as the Chief Guest, with confer it on him.
However, this was not the first meeting between the two leaders. Haasan had met the BJD veteran on the sidelines of an investment roadshow in Chennai in September last year to “appreciate him as a fan” and also seek his “advice.”
He had also lauded Naveen for delivering good governance.
