Kamal Haasan turns 60, wields broom for Swachh Bharat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cleanliness drive programme, the Swachh Bharat campaign, received more star power with veteran actor Kamal Haasan wielding the broom to mark his 60th birthday at a lake near Chennai on November 7.

The actor had been nominated by Modi when he had launched the programme in October.

Haasan wielded the broom at the Rajakilpakkam lake and was joined by scores of his fans and his monitored welfare movement.

The self-confessed atheist star expressed joy over being 'recognised' by the Prime Minister and said, "We are religion-free and colourless as far as politics is concerned. We hope this movement is strengthened."

He reiterated his earlier statement that today's effort was nothing new for him or his supporters as "we have been doing this for a long time."

Such an effort was part of nation-building exercise, he said, welcoming more people to join him.

Earlier, actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan had responded to the call by Modi who had nominated them besides Haasan.