Kamal Haasan
Often described as one of
India’s finest and most versatile actors, Kamal Haasan is one of the first Indian
actors
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Actor turned film-maker |
who has transcended image, and worked purely
around characters. In an illustrious 37-year career beginning as a child actor, Haasan has
played heroes, villains, men, women, dwarves, freaks - everything. He has acted in over
180 films and is hailed as one of the few commercial cinema artistes who has treated
acting as a fine art, taking performance and characterisation to a greater plateau, most
importantly, beyond star image.
Kamal Haasan is least likely to stop himself from
taking on a role because it does not gel with his superstar image. This is because he has
never let himself be classified. He started off as a rebellious hero in films, but shifted
images rapidly, as he moved from playing the stereotypical hero to playing plain
protagonist.
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With Manisha in Indian |
In an industry previously dominated by the likes of Sivaji Ganeshan and M
G Ramchandran, every filmstar had been assigned an image. But Kamal desisted from being
either upright idealist, irresistible romantic or angry avenger. Instead, he built a niche
for himself as a man for all seasons, an acting purist, who would play anything or anyone
as long as it offered something for audiences to chew on. And whatever he played, he did
well.
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With Tabu |
Born the son of a freedom fighter, Kamal Haasan and his brother Chandru
were inclined towards films from the very beginning. Kamal started as a child artist and
never honed any aptitude for scholastics. His adolescent years saw a short break from
film, and he picked up invaluable skills as a classical Bharat-Natyam dancer.
His dancing skills brought him back to cinema, and in the early 70s he
re-entered the industry as a choreographer. He also did bit roles in several films before
being discovered by director K Balchander who gave him his first big break in Apoorva
Ragangal. The film was offbeat, and brought to fore the new young rebel - Kamal Haasan.
Incidentally, the film was also the debut film of superstar Rajnikant.
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Kamal and Sridevi in Moonram Pirai
(Sadma) |
This was the perfect time for Kamal to enter the
south Indian film Industry, with the old guard of Gemini Ganesan, MGR and Sivaji Ganesan
phasing out or moving to higher political plains. The gap left behind was quickly filled
by a young breed of actors primarily Kamal and Rajni.
As he inched closer towards super-stardom in Madras, Kamal got choosy
about scripts. He did several ‘purely commercial’ films, but did not lose
himself in it to the extent of denying himself his first cause, acting.
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Maradanayagan |
He has effectively maintained an enigmatic aura about himself. In his own
words, "Once a mimicry artist takes you over, you are finished." Kamal says that
as long as you cannot be mimicked, you remain a level above the rest. Once an actor gets a
defined style, he is branded. Contrary to the popular Indian belief in trademarking acting
methods, Kamal prefers never to get slotted. That, remains his strength.
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