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| Kamal Haasan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 7 November 1954 Paramakudi, Madras State, India |
| Residence | Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Occupation | Film actor, producer, director, screenwriter, songwriter, playback singer, lyricist |
| Years active | 1959–present |
| Height | 5 ft 7 inches |
| Spouse | Vani Ganapathi (1978-1988) Sarika (1988-2004) |
| Partner | Gouthami Tadimalla (2004-present) |
| Children | Shruti Haasan (born 1986) Akshara Haasan (born 1991) |
After several projects as a child artist, Kamal Haasan's breakthrough into lead acting came with his role in the 1975 drama Apoorva Raagangal, in which he played a rebellious youth in love with an older woman. He secured his second Indian National Film Award for his portrayal of a guileless school teacher who tends a child-like amnesiac in 1982's Moondram Pirai. He was particularly noted for his performance in Mani Ratnam's Godfatheresque Tamil film Nayagan (1987), which was ranked by Time magazine as one of the best films of all time.[5] Since then he has gone on to appear in other notable films such as his own productions, Hey Ram and Virumaandi, as well as the magnum opus Dasavathaaram, in which he appeared in ten distinct roles.
[edit] Biography
[edit] Early career: 1960s – early 1970s
After shifting from Paramakudi with his family for his mother's medical treatment, Haasan was enlisted to study at Holy Angels' Convent in T. Nagar in 1957. While accompanying an uncle to a shooting location, he was requested by producer A. V. M. Saravanan to appear in a project, for which his parents accepted.[6] Kamal Haasan made his film debut as a 4-year-old child artist in Kalathur Kannamma, which was directed by A. Bhimsingh and released on 12 August 1959. He was cast along with the veteran Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan, winning the National Film Award for Best Child Artist.[7] He acted as a child actor in five other Tamil films in the subsequent few years co-starring with Sivaji Ganesan and M. G. Ramachandran.During this period, he continued with his education while being a prominent part of the theatre troupe as well as learning karate and Bharathanatyam.[6] Following a nine year hiatus from films, Kamal Haasan returned to the industry with the hope of making it as a part of the technical crew in films but was selected to appear in supporting roles in several films. These films included roles in Annai Velankani for which he was an assistant director, Arangetram and Sollathaan Ninaikkiren, both co-starring Sivakumar. His final supporting role before establishing himself as a lead actor was in Naan Avanillai.[8]
[edit] Late 1970s – 1980s
Kamal Haasan first received a regional Filmfare Award for acting for his role in the Malayalam film Kanyakumari (1974).[9] In the next four years, he won six regional Best Actor Filmfare Awards, including four consecutive Best Tamil Actor Awards.[10] He acted in director K. Balachander's Apoorva Raagangal, an exploration of age-gap relationships. The late 1970s was a period that saw Kamal Haasan's frequent collaboration with K. Balachander, who also cast him in many of his socially-themed films such as Avargal (1977).[11] The film won Kamal Haasan his first Filmfare Best Tamil Actor Award.[12] In 1976, Kamal Haasan appeared in the drama Moondru Mudichu with Rajinikanth and Sridevi, another K. Balachander film, Manmadha Leelai, and Oru Oodhappu Kan Simittugiradhu, which won him his second consecutive Best Actor Award.[10] 16 Vayathinile won him his third consecutive award, where he appeared as a mentally ill villager, once again alongside Rajinikanth and Sridevi.[12][10] The fourth consecutive award came with Sigappu Rojakal in which he appeared as an anti-hero who is a psychopathic sexual killer. In the late seventies, Kamal Haasan appeared in other films such as the comedy Ninaithale Inikkum and the horror film Neeya.Haasan's pairing with the actress Sridevi continued with Guru and Varumayin Niram Sigappu in 1980. Kamal Haasan also made guest–cameo appearances, such as in the Rajnikanth film Thillu Mullu; Rajinikanth had previously appeared in some of Kamal Haasan's films. His 100th career film appearance was in 1981's Raja Paarvai, which also marked his debut in film production. Despite this film's relatively poor reception at the cinemas, his portrayal of a blind session violinist earned him a Filmfare Award.[13] His next acting role, in Ek Duuje Ke Liye, became his first Hindi-language film. It was the remake of his previous Telugu-language film, Maro Charithra by K. Balachandar. Following a year of starring in commercially-oriented films, he won his first of three National Awards for Best Actor with his portrayal of a school teacher who looks after a mentally retarded girl in Balu Mahendra's Moondram Pirai, alter reprising the role in the Hindi version, Sadma.[12] In 1983, he appeared in Thoongadhey Thambi Thoongadhey playing a double role.
Till 1985, Kamal Haasan began to appear in more Hindi language films, including Saagar, for which he was awarded both the Filmfare Best Actor Award and was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Award at the same ceremony for this role.[9] Saagar portrayed him alongside Rishi Kapoor both of whom were pining for a woman, but he ultimately loses out. Kamal Haasan also appeared in Geraftaar. He featured in Tamil cinema's first sequel Japanil Kalyanaraman, which followed up his previous, Kalyanaraman as well as acting in Uruvangal Maralam co-starring Sivaji Ganesan and Rajinikanth.
In the mid-1980s, Kamal Haasan appeared in two Telugu language films, Sagara Sangamam and Swathi Muthyam with director, Kasinadhuni Viswanath. The latter film was India's representative for the Academy Award for the Best Foreign Language Film in 1986.[12] While the former film portrayed him as a drunkard classical dancer, Swathi Muthyam portrays him as an autistic person attempting to change society. Following Punnagai Mannan, in which he portrays dual roles including a satire of Charlie Chaplin and Vetri Vizha as an amnesiac, Kamal Haasan appeared in Mani Rathnam's 1987 film Nayagan. Nayagan portrays the life of an underworld don in Bombay. The story revolves around the life of a real-life underworld don called Varadarajan Mudaliar, while sympathetically depicting the struggle of South Indians living in Mumbai.[12] He received an Indian National Award for his performance and Nayagan was nominated by India as its entry for the Best Foreign Language Film for the Academy Awards in 1987 as well as being included in the Time top 100 movies list. In 1988, Kamal Haasan appeared in his only silent film to date, appearing in the black comedy Pushpak.[12] In 1989, he played a triple role in Apoorva Sagodharargal. The commercial film portrayed him in a role as a dwarf.[12] He then attempted dual roles in Indrudu Chandrudu and its Tamil remake, winning the regional Best Actor Award for his performance.
[edit] The 1990s
Michael Madhana Kamarajan in 1991 saw Kamal Haasan go one step further, acting in four different roles as quadruplets. It started an ongoing collaboration for future comedy films between him and Crazy Mohan, a dialogue writer.[14] The film became a blockbuster, with his portrayals all being critically praised; with one forming the crux for a future venture by his production house.[15] Kamal Haasan won successive Best Actor awards for his portrayal of the deranged, obsessive protagonist in Guna and in Thevar Magan, where he played the son of actor Sivaji Ganesan. Guna met with critical acclaim but failed commercially, while the latter became a big success, being remade into Hindi as Virasat. Kamal Haasan was credited for the story and became India's submission for the Academy Awards that year. After a series of successful commercial films such as Singaravelan, Maharasan and Kalaignan; he began to appear in comedies such as Sathi Leelavathi, based on the English film She-Devil, as well as renewing his collobaration with Kasinadhuni Viswanath in his last Telugu language film to date, Subha Sankalpam. The film, his home production, featured him opposite comedienne Kovai Sarala and its success led to further regional remakes. In 1996, Kamal Haasan starred in the police story Kuruthipunal. His success in Kuruthipunal was followed by his third National Film Award for Best Actor, for the film Indian.[16] Playing dual roles of a freedom fighter and his untrustful son, the film also won Kamal Haasan regional awards and plaudits for his portrayal.[17] Moreover, both films were also selected as India's submissions for the Academy Awards in their respective release years.Haasan appeared as a woman in Avvai Shanmughi, inspired by the Hollywood production Mrs. Doubtfire.[18] In 1997, Kamal Haasan began his first directorial venture, the biopic of Mohammed Yusuf Khan, Marudhanayagam, which failed to complete its schedules with only half an hour and a trailer being recorded during its shoot.[19] Marudhanayagam had been speculated to be the biggest and most expensive film in Indian cinema with a number of high profile actors technicians signing up for roles. Moreover, the film was launched in a highly publicized ceremony by Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom during her visit to India in 1997.[20][21] Due to budget constraints, the film failed to materialize into a feature film, but he has since stated his interest in building up funds for the project.[22] He soon made his debut as director with a remake of Avvai Shanmughi, titled Chachi 420.[23]
[edit] 2000s: Hey Ram and onwards
Following a two-year hiatus in Indian cinema, he opted against reviving his magnum opus, Marudhanayagam, and filmed his second directorial venture, Hey Ram, a period drama told in flashback with a semi-fictional plot centering around India's Partition and the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Kamal Haasan also took on roles as the writer, the lyricist and the choreographer as well as producing the film under his home banner. The film, also featured Shahrukh Khan and was India's submission for the Academy Awards that year.[24] His following film was Aalavandhan, where he portrayed two distinct roles, for one of which he had his head shaved bald and gained ten kilograms. Despite much publicity prior to release, the film failed commercially, and he opted to repay distributors who had suffered losses with the film.[25]Following a series of successful comedies in Thenali, Panchathantiram and Pammal K. Sambandam and a couple of guest appearances, Kamal Haasan directed his third feature film in Virumaandi, a film about the death penalty.[26] Kamal Haasan also appeared in Anbe Sivam alongside Madhavan. Priyadarshan, who started the film, departed allowing commercial director Sundar C to complete the film. Anbe Sivam told the story of Nallasivam, enacted by Kamal Haasan as an idealist, social activist and communist. Kamal Haasan's performance was highly lauded by critics with The Hindu stating that he "has once again done Tamil cinema proud".[27]
Haasan then appeared in the remake film Vasool Raja alongside Sneha. In 2006, Haasan's long delayed project, Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu emerged as a blockbuster.[28] Gautham Menon's Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu was Kamal Haasan's first cop film since Kuruthipunal. In 2008, he appeared in K. S. Ravikumar's Dasavathaaram portraying ten distinct roles in the venture, which remains one of the most expensive Indian films ever made.[29] Featuring him opposite Asin Thottumkal, the film became the second highest grossing film ever in Tamil cinema and won him critical praise for his performance.[30][31] He had also undertook the opportunity of being the story and screenwriter for the project. Following the completion of Dasavathaaram, Kamal Haasan opted to direct his fourth directorial venture, with a film tentatively titled Marmayogi, which after a year of pre-production became stalled.[32] He then opted to produce and star in a venture, Unnaipol Oruvan, co-starring him with Mohanlal. The film, which had Shruti Haasan appear as the music director, became a successful venture for him the box office.[33] Kamal Haasan is currently working on his fifth collaboration with Ravikumar, in Manmadan Ambu, in which he also writes the dialogues and screenplay. The film also features Madhavan and Trisha Krishnan and will be released in the final quarter of 2010.
[edit] Personal life
[edit] Family
Kamal Haasan, despite being born into a Hindu Brahmin family, has declared himself as an atheist; with his roles in Anbe Sivam and Dasavathaaram, both co-written by Kamal Haasan, featuring anti-theistical views.[39] Kamal Haasan, has also been mistaken for a Muslim due to the Islamic nature of his surname, and was famously stopped for his name at Toronto Airport in 2002.[40] The name had originated from a friend of his father, Yaakob Hassan, a Muslim freedom fighter who spent time in prison with Kamal Haasan's father while imprisoned by the British. Yaakob Hassan had protected Srinivasan from other prisoners who hated the Brahmins. Later, he paid tribute to his friend by incorporating part of his name into his sons’ names.[41]
[edit] Relationships
Despite his celebrated film career, his personal life had some setbacks which have been exploited by the media. In his early career, he co-starred in several Tamil and Malayalam films with noted actress Srividya. The pair were reported to have been a part of a notorious affair in the 1970s, with their relationship being explored in the 2008-released Malayalam film, Thirakkatha by Renjith, with Anoop Menon portraying Kamal Haasan and Priyamani playing Srividya. Srividya, who died in 2006, was visited by Kamal Haasan at her bedside during her final days.[42] In 1978, at the age of twenty four, Kamal Haasan married danseuse Vani Ganapathy, who was older than him. Vani put on the mantle of costume designer for her husband's movies and was publicized for walking along with Haasan into the Filmfare Awards South ceremony of 1980, immediately after their wedding. However, the couple split after ten years together, after Kamal Haasan began dating fellow actress, Sarika, confirming in a later interview that he and Vani have never been in touch ever since their divorce.[43]Subsequently, Kamal Haasan and Sarika married in 1988, with the pair having two children: Shruti Haasan (born 1986) and Akshara Haasan (born 1991). The former is a singer as well as an upcoming actress, while the latter is pursuing higher studies in Bangalore. Sarika retired from acting roles soon after her marriage with Kamal Haasan, replacing his ex-wife, Vani Ganapathy, as Haasan's costume designer, with acclaimed work in Hey Ram. However, the pair filed for divorced in 2002, with Sarika estranging herself from Kamal Haasan by the end of the procedure in 2004.[44] His intimate relationship with co-star Simran Bagga, who is twenty-two years younger, became the reason for the split. A brief relationship with Simran, who appeared opposite him in two consecutive ventures with Pammal K. Sambandam and Panchathantiram, followed after she ended her relationship with choreographer Raju Sundaram. However, the pair's companionship was short-lived, with Simran going on to marry a childhood friend in 2004.[45] Haasan now lives with former actress Gouthami Tadimalla, who co-starred with Kamal Haasan in several films in the late 80s and early 90s. He had helped her during her traumatic experience suffering from breast cancer and the pair have been in a domestic relationship since 2005. Along with Shruti and Akshara, Gouthami's daughter, Subbalakshmi, from an annulled marriage also lives with them.[46]
[edit] Awards and honors
Main article: List of Kamal Haasan's awards, honours and recognitions
Kamal Haasan, a Padma Shri holder, is the most decorated actor in terms of awards in the history of Indian cinema.[47] He holds the record for the most National Film Awards for an actor (four), three awards for Best Actor, and one for Best Child Artist. Moreover, Kamal Haasan holds a record nineteen Filmfare Awards, ranging across five languages. After his latest award in 2000, he wrote to the organization to exempt him from further awards.[47] Other recognitions include a string of Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, Nandi Awards and Vijay Awards, in which he won four separate awards for his performance in Dasavathaaram.[edit] Notable filmography
Further information: Kamal Haasan filmography
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