I’m just following Brando, Kumar, Ganesan: Kamal Haasan

Haasan admits he doesn’t watch too many films nowadays; says, as far as experimenting with his looks is concerned, he is simply following in the footsteps of acting legends.

In his four-decade-long career, Kamal Haasan has acted in many films in several languages. But when it comes to watching movies, the actor is not as regular.

“I have seen legends like Marlon Brando, Dilip Kumar and Shivaji Ganesan do this all the time. At times, with only limited make-up, they have played such different characters. I’m just following them, and moving in that direction,” Kamal Haasan. (Hindustan Times)

“I believe that once you start writing, you can’t read, and when you start making films, the number of movies you watch goes down,” says Kamal, who admits he needs to “catch up on” many recent Hindi releases. “There are so many films that I haven’t seen. I hear about them from my friends and industry members,” he adds.

Ask him if he has watched any Hindi film that he would have liked to be part of, and he says, “If I feel like I have missed out on being part of one, then I remake it in Tamil (laughs). Sometimes, I appease myself this way,” adds the actor, who produced and acted in Unnaipol Oruvan (2009), a Tamil remake of the Hindi film, A Wednesday (2008).

Kamal Haasan produced and acted in Unnaipol Oruvan (2009), a Tamil remake of the Hindi film, A Wednesday (2008).

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Kamal’s willingness to experiment with his looks in films like Vishwaroopam (2013) and Dasavatharam ( 2008), and older ones like Hindustani (1996) and Chachi 420 (1997), has always set him apart. But the actor doesn’t understand what the big deal is all about.

“I have seen legends like Marlon Brando, Dilip Kumar and Shivaji Ganesan do this all the time. At times, with only limited make-up, they have played such different characters. I’m just following them, and moving in that direction,” says the actor, who reveals, that ever since Hindustani released, he has wanted to work on its sequel.

“I had suggested to our director (S Shankar) soon after the film had released that we should make another part. But, at that time, we were all so nervous and worried about the fate of the film. So, it didn’t really happen,” adds the 61-year-old.

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