Kamal Haasan’s work in cinema has been extremely diverse, and he’s been part of different film genres––romance to thrillers to sci-fi to comedy.
Kamal Haasan, the renowned Indian actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, made his debut in cinema as a child actor in the 1960 Tamil film Kalathur Kannamma. His first role as an adult actor came in 1973, when he starred as Thiagu in the film Arangetram by K. Balachander. Since then, there’s been no looking back for him, and he is regarded as one of the greatest actors in Indian cinema, and has managed to alter the landscape of cinema over the years with his repertoire of work.
As the actor celebrates his 70th birthday on November 7, here’s a look at his 7 most iconic films that have greatly shaped the way audience looks at cinema:
Sadma was written and directed by Balu Mahendra, and featured Kamal Haasan and Sridevi in lead roles. It revolves around Nehalata Malhotra, a young woman who regresses to childhood after a car crash. After getting trapped in a brothel, she is rescued by a lonely school teacher (played by Haasan), who falls in love with her. The film was widely acclaimed by critics for its performances, and over the years, has gained cult status.
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The epic crime drama film, written and directed by Mani Ratnam, featured Kamal Haasan, Saranya, and Karthika in lead roles, and revolves around the evolution of Velu Naicker from an ordinary man in a slum to a crime lord in the Bombay underworld. Reportedly, the film was based on the life of the Bombay underworld don Varadarajan Mudaliar, with inspirations from the American film The Godfather (1972). Haasan was much loved by critics for his portrayal, and earned him the National Film Award for Best Actor.
The vigilante action film, directed by S. Shankar, stars Kamal Haasan in a dual role. The first installment in the Indian film series, and features Haasan as Senapathy, a retired freedom fighter rebels against corruption in India. Due to his ideals, he remains in conflict with his son Chandru, whose life revolves around corruption. The film bagged three National Film Awards, including Best Actor (Kamal Haasan). Its sequel titled Indian 2 was released in 2024, and a third film is in production already.
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The epic historical drama film has been written, directed, and produced by Kamal Haasan. It features Haasan along with Shah Rukh Khan, who made his Tamil debut. The film offers an alternate history revolving around India's Partition, Direct Action Day and the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. While it failed commercially at the box office, it certainly got positive reviews from all corners, and has remained one of Haasan’s finest works.
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Dasavathaaram, the science fiction action film directed by K. S. Ravikumar, features Kamal Haasan in ten distinct roles. With themes of chaos theory, butterfly effect, existence of God, casteism, among others, the film ended up becoming the highest grossing in Tamil cinema at the time, and was, in fact, the first Tamil film to cross Rs 200 crore worldwide gross.
Vishwaroopam is an action spy film co-written, directed and produced by Kamal Haasan. It also stars Rahul Bose, Shekhar Kapur, Pooja Kumar, Andrea Jeremiah, Nassar and Jaideep Ahlawat in key roles. According to the story, Nirupama, a woman studying in the US, marries a classical dancer, Viswanathan. However, after being suspicious of his behaviour, she hires a detective, who finds out his true identity and past. Haasan was much appreciated for his role of a spy in the film.
Vikram, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, features Kamal Haasan in the titular role, alongside Vijay Sethupathi, Fahadh Faasil, and others. While it is the second instalment in the Lokesh Cinematic Universe, it is also the spiritual successor to the 1986 film of the same name. It revolves around the former commander of a black-ops squad's pilot batch, and how he clashes with Sandhanam, who runs a drug syndicate Vetti Vagaiyara.
