Kamal Haasan, one of the greatest actors India has ever produced, is unique in many ways. He has usually gone beyond just enacting a role to completely immersing himself in it. From romance (Ek Duuje ke Liye, Saagar, Moondram Pirai) and dance dramas (Salangai Oli) to action thrillers (Virumandi) to comedies (Pushpak, Michael Madana Kama Rajan); from playing a vigilante in Indian to a morally grey character in one of his first films and even ten different roles in Dasavathaaram, Kamal has done it all with aplomb.
‘Kamal Haasan: A Cinematic Journey’ explores the most impactful films Kamal has been associated with and analyses his illustrious career, from his beginnings as a child star to his latest blockbusters. It traces how, even at a young age, he took on roles other actors would be wary of, positioning himself as an object of female desire in the 1980s; balanced both comedy and tragedy; and played formerly caricatured roles such as that of a dwarf in Apoorva Sagodharargal (Appu Raja in Hindi) and of a woman in Avvai Shanmughi (Chachi 420) with dignity. It thus explores the entire trajectory of his career, all the way up to his 2022 blockbuster Vikram 2 as well as the upcoming Indian 2.
Published by HarperCollins India, ‘Kamal Haasan: A Cinematic Journey’ by K. Hariharan, will be released on 10 July on SoftCover, ThePrint’s online venue to launch non-fiction books.
The book’s author, K. Hariharan, after graduating in direction from the Film and Television Institute of India (1976), made nine feature films and over 350 short and documentary films. His works have won national awards and been selected at international festivals too. As a writer-critic, he has contributed to a variety of books and journals on media and cinema.
Appreciating the acting prowess of Kamal Haasan, Amitabh Bachchan declares, ‘the kind of work Kamal has done is really difficult to believe.’ Rajnikant has also once said that he considers himself fortunate to have an actor like Kamal Haasan in his sight all the time. While appreciating Kamal Haasan’s ability to emote well, Mani Ratnam said, ‘he is a master of technique’.
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