Kamal Haasan says he doesn’t believe in prohibition, for reducing consumption

Kamal Haasan said it is possible to reduce alcohol consumption, but it is doubtful if people could completely give it up. “If we make everyone in the state give up alcohol, people may resort to violence, murders, wreaking a havoc,” he said.

Kamal Haasan

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan has stated in his latest column in a Tamil magazine that he did not believe in prohibition, but supported the idea of reducing alcohol consumption. Prohibition was a key issue in the last Assembly election in Tamil Nadu and the state had witnessed hundreds of protests in demand of prohibition.
Questioning the need for so many government-run liquor outlets, he wrote it is easier to locate a TASMAC shop (Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation) than a post office. “This has to be changed,” he wrote in Ananda Vikatan magazine.

The column, which came a week after Haasan launched Makkal Needhi Maiam, said it is possible to reduce alcohol consumption, but it is doubtful if people could completely give it up. “If we make everyone in the state give up alcohol, people may resort to violence, murders, wreaking a havoc,” he said.

Apparently targeting senior AIADMK and DMK leaders whose families own distilleries, Haasan said there are politicians who speak about prohibition while selling alcohol. “It is worrying to see these politicians insist to set up liquor shops even near the schools,” he wrote, adding that for politicians, talking about prohibition is all about getting women’s votes. He added that liquor is not something that can be banned overnight.

At the peak of May 2016 Assembly poll campaign, late chief minister J Jayalalithaa stated that “total prohibition will be implemented in Tamil Nadu in a phased manner”.

Months before her statement, at a time when almost all smaller parties in the state were demanding prohibition, DMK had promised that the party will support total prohibition in the state if elected to power.

Arun Janardhanan

Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority. Expertise Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews. Key Coverage Areas: State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor. Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties. Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu. Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail. His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More

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