"....Then came Vishwaroop, one of Kamal Haasan's most ambitious films made in 2013 which has a Muslim protagonist. He plays a RAW officer who infiltrates an Al Qaeda network undercover.

'For Vishwaroop, it was complicated in a sense. Jaya TV, which was owned by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, bid for the rights to my film. It was a direct business so I couldn't say no to the highest bid; it was a deal with the chief minister. They made an offer I couldn't refuse, however, then came the other offer,' he says, hinting at an illegal offer of payment. 'It became very complicated. Everyone knows that I don't touch black money. I don't accept it at all, so then there was this discussion, that was also sorted, when I said you must understand, I won't take it. It's no personal affront but I could not. I think she took umbrage at . . .