Definition of dedication – Kamal Haasan

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On a rainy evening, a theatrical performance was staged and in the crowd a couple was watching it intently.

 

“I think he might be listening this which will contribute and incline his interests to art. I wish him to be a star which was my dream,” says the husband to his pregnant wife.

 

It might surprise you all as why a scene is being narrated without the star’s presence. He was present; in his mother’s womb. Hard to believe yet true for Kamal Haasan’s first stint in art started as early as even before his birth. His father Srinivasan was a man who aspired to become an actor wanted his child to attain stardom. It was why he toured different strata of art along with his wife in a belief that the child, a boy or girl about to be born will be inculcated with ingenuity.

 

Despite his father’s demise, it was Kamal’s mother Rajalakshmi who kept his disinterest in studies aside and gave absolute freedom for his interests. Being in a large family of highly educated people, he sprouted without education but with phenomenal skills.

 

The title Universal Star depicts the actor’s caricature promptly. He holds the potency to make audience feel the emotions related on screen. Be it the cherub like portrayal of an orphaned boy in the Tamil ‘Kalathur Kannama’, elided lover of the retarded girl in ‘Moondram Pirai’ or the manikin Appu of ‘Apoorva Sagotharargal’; his grief on screen directly associates with the spectators. He also equally evoked humor in his laugh riot movie 'O Radha Iddaru Krishnulu' and also sang a song for that movie.

 

In Telugu, ‘Marocharitra’ a classic love story that is lauded till date is one of Kamal Haasan’s best. Later, the same remade in Hindi as ‘Ek Tuje Keliye’ attained a niche for him in the National level. Pushpaka Vimanam which was dubbed as a "speechless classic" is indeed true. For the critics said "Haasan surpasses himself", delivering an all time best performance. During the 1970’s, he played a host of characters that include - a ventriloquist in Avargal for which he scrupulously learnt ventriloquism.

 

In the mid-1980's, Haasan appeared in two legendary Telugu language films, Sagara Sangamam and Swathi Muthyam with director, Kasinadhuni Viswanath. Talented in Bharatanatyam, his able portrayal in ‘Sagara Sangamam’ and a folk dance in ‘Subha Sankalpam’ gained accolades. The first after Mamooty, he bagged three times the National award for the Best Actor for his stellar performances. At the age of 6, he also got the National Award as a child artist on his debut movie in Tamil.

 

Hollywood-ish quality is what Kamal Haasan yearns for as he tried out innovative and experimental demeanors in his movies that reached a pinnacle with his latest ‘Dasavatharam’. It can be unanimously termed that he is the definition of dedication.

 

Never he rests and is still on his path to the crest of cinema.

 

Although the thespian has refrained people from celebrating his birthday, it is hard not to recall his colossal history in celluloid on this day.

[mannam]

;D