The Legend - Kamal Hassan:
Director Trilokchander spotted a precocious young boy and in
that auspicious moment something flashed. He prophesied, "this
brilliant boy will go a long way, and achieve fame one day." So
it was. The youngest son of Srinivasan, the freedom fighter from
Paramagudi in Rameshwaram, went a loooong way, not only making a
mark on regional cinema, but on Indian cinema. The history of
Indian cinema has never seen the kind of Kamal Haasan - a cine
lover who's just hasn't had enough of his love.
Eccentric, experimental, maverick, chameleon, wiz - all kinds of
adjectives are thrown up to describe the fascinating growth of
Kamal Haasan. But just as the labels become tangible, our man
has outgrown it. His latest avataar being that of an
actor-writer-director. And for all his tomfoolery in Chachi 420,
Kamal Haasan is not an escapist. He is a lover of history, and
very sensitive to his enviroment. He thinks, and wants you to
think as is evident in his ambitious epoch called Hey ! Ram. Hey
! Ram's dismal performance at the box-office has not quelled
Haasan's desire to make Maruda Nayakan, another ambitious story
of a revolutionary.
Kamal's own journey to being a legend is quite revolutionary.
Kamal Haasan foray into films was with Kalathur Kannama as a
child artiste. He made an impact in a set-up that had Gemini
Ganesan, who was known by the Tamil cine-goers as 'Kadal Mannan'
(the King of Love) and the legendary Savithri. He became
everybody's favourite child. Over the years when Kamal turned
hero, he would take over the mantle from Gemini Ganesan as 'Kadal
Ilavarasan' (the Prince of Love). But much before that, he had
to go through the insecure adolescent period.
In this period, Kamal took formal training in Bharatnatyam,
caught up with plays in Madras, and hung around with his
childhood friends like Santhaana Bharathi, P. Vaasu and others
who went on to become directors. Kamal re-entered films as an
Assistant dance director, who was known to pass caustic comments
on actors who didn't know their job and that "he would've done a
better job". And the moment arrived, when the renowned director,
K Balachander spotted him.
KB (as he was popularly known) exploited his protege's talent in
films like Avargal (Them) where he played a ventriloquist to a
rebel who falls in love with an older woman in Apoorva Raagangal
(Strange Melodies). Another director saw star potential in Kamal,
and persuaded him to dance and sing which he did much against
his wishes.
He saw it as a chance to gain fame and fortune so
that oneday he could make the movie he wanted to. Guru, Sattam
En Kayil (Law is in my Hands), Ellam Inba Mayam (Everything
seems Lovely) were a part of that phase. But when he did
Barathiraaja's Padhinaaru Vaiadhinile (At the age of 16) - he
was catapulted to fame along with Sri Devi, Rajnikant and music
director Illayaraja. Three other names that would make a
difference to cinema. Kamal played a psychopathic killer in
another Barathiraajan movie Sigappu Rojakkal (Red Rose). With
Sagalakala Vallavan, he came to be known as an action hero and
became the darling of the masses. [Continue...] |
