Thursday, September 18, 2008

Kamal Haasan - Shathavathaaram man!

I read an article by Sudhangan in Ananda Vikatan, a tamil magazine, about Kamal Haasan. Sudhangan is a writer, journalist and TV anchor. Everyone knows Kamal, as an actor, writer, singer, director,choreographer and in so many other avataars. Basically, he is a dancer, who developed into so many other facets.

When I wrote an article about the movie 'Dasavathaaram', in my blog, I don't know how I forgot to write about the first avataar as Rangarajan Nambi, indetail (maradhi manni?!). The charecter, Rangarajan Nambi, recites 'Vishnu Sahasranaamam' in a booming voice (reminding us, the voice of Shivaji Ganesan). In the interview with Sudhangan in 'Ananda Vikatan', Kamal says that he knows Vishnu Sahasranaamam by heart and knows Suprabhatam, tamil shlokas - Thiruppallaandu, Abhiraami Andaadhi (he recites this shloka in his movie 'Gunaa', which is a milestone in his acting career and one of our favourite movies)etc. He recited some shlokas to Sudangan, during his meeting with him. Everyone knows that he is a staunch atheist. When questioned, Kamal said that when he was young, he was in a famous drama troupe, run by a veteran theatre artiste, Shri T.K. Shanmugam (the name of the movie Avvai Shanmugi was selected in his memory - Chaachi 420 in Hindi). They used to tour all the cities and towns, performing their drama. Wherever they went, the whole troupe would go to the local temple and sang relevant shlokas of that deity. So he knows Divya Prabhandam (shlokas for Lord Vishnu), Thiruvaasagam, Thevaram (shlokas for Lord Shiva). His grasping power is amazing. He is always surrounded by so many intellectuals like the late Sujatha, the tamil writer who wrote the screenplays for Kamal's, Manirathnam's and Shankar's movies, Vaira Muththu, the famous lyricist, director Crazy Mohan and others. He learnt to play mridangam for the movie 'Apoorva Raagangal', learnt to sketch from the famous cartoonist Madan, for the movie, 'Anbe Sivam'.....we can go on like this. He learnt classical music from Dr.Balamurali Krishna, the famous carnatic music vocalist, knows all the technical side of film making and writes screenplays for many of his movies. He is a perfectionist to the core.

He is good in comedy roles, in films like Michael Madana Kaamarajan, Thenaali, Sathi Leelavathi, Avvai Shanmugi, Pushpak....the list goes on. He has given classics like Unnaal Mudiyum Thambi, Anbe Sivam, Moondraam Pirai, Indian, Nayakan, Apoorva Sahodarargal, Varumaiyin Niram Sigappu, Sagara Sangamam, Guna, Mahanadi (I shiver when I think of the movie - too emotional), Raja Paarvai, Thevar Magan, Hey Ram, Nammavar... the list continues and should include his future dream project 'Marudanaayagam' too.

We have read his short stories in Ananda Vikatan, his poems, articles, huh, so many things to mention about him. Hey, I forgot to mention about the comedies, Pammal K (uvvae!) Sambandam, Kaadhala kaadhala, etc. Should we say he is good in comedy roles only? No, no, no - he was very good in Anbe Sivam, Gunaa, Mahanadi, Thevar Magan etc., which are master pieces of Kamal Haasan.

Shatavathaaram title will suit him, hmm???

5 comments :

Nisha said...

hey, you've been tagged!

my space said...

Kamal hasan is a talented actor..i loved him in Pushpak and chachi 420

Sandhya said...

Yes, Pushpak is like a milestone in our cinema. If you see it again and again also, you can notice new things - like you don't need a dialogue at all in all the scenes. Both Kamal and Amla are dancers and so they were able to express everything in their faces. I don't think anyother actor in our country can justify that role. Even Amla was superb.

Thank you.

dharmabum said...

there was this one called 'nammavar'. little known, but i admired it a lot. i feel it could be used as an educational movie, both for students and teachers

Sandhya said...

How did I forget to add that movie, I don't know! Actually I was trying to remember the name of the movie where Kamal was a lecturer and Brinda, the choreographer and Nagesh acted very well. I must have forgotten later. Thanks for reminding. It was really a very good movie and a clean movie! Gouthami also did well. Thanks.

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