Actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan, who was nominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to work towards a cleaner India, humbly accepted the invitation and invited nine million people to make this a "nation building" initiative.

Modi Thursday also nominated actors Priyanka Chopra, Salman Khan and cricketer Sachin Tendulkar among others.

Modi has said the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched Thursday should clean up the country by 2019, the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

"I thank our honourable PM for naming me among this august list. I don't think it's a new duty I've been appointed but it's a recognition of what I've already been doing. I invite nine million more people," Kamal Haasan said in a video.

"I have been doing this cleansing for the last two decades through my fans who have converted the fan clubs into social service organizations. My work continues and this is not a public relations exercise. It's a public work I'm part of," he added.

Haasan said he will "pursue this exercise not for any political philosophy". Kamal is currently busy shooting for Tamil thriller "Papanasam", a remake of Malayalam blockbuster "Drishyam".