Category: Kamal Haasan

Hey Ram: In Kamal Haasan’s modern Ramayana, Lord Ram turns Travis Bickle in a quixotic quest for vengeance against Gandhi

Kamal Haasan's magnum opus Hey Ram(1999) is celebrating it's 20th anniversary this year. Kamal wrote, produced and directed this film, apart from playing the lead role.The film is set during a tumultuous period in Indian history, starting with the communal riots of 1946 and ending with the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi Maa Nishada Pratistham Tvamagamahsāsvati … Continue reading Hey Ram: In Kamal Haasan’s modern Ramayana, Lord Ram turns Travis Bickle in a quixotic quest for vengeance against Gandhi →

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Gunaa : Kamal Haasan’s idiosyncratic amalgam of Rainman, Rambo and Devdas makes for compelling cinema

This piece on Gunaa(1991) is my new addition to  60 years of Kamal Haasan series. Gunaa is a truly unique and idiosyncratic film, that was a flop at the time of it's release, but has gone on to acquire a cult following since then. The film is also, perhaps , the great collaboration between Kamal and music director Ilayaraja, who … Continue reading Gunaa : Kamal Haasan’s idiosyncratic amalgam of Rainman, Rambo and Devdas makes for compelling cinema →

Apoorva Sagodharargal : Kamal Haasan’s post-modern masala classic remains a towering achievement

Kamal Haasan, who turned Sixty five recently, has completed sixty years in the film industry.His Apoorva Sagodharargal(1989), which is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary, was a milestone in his career , in which he essayed triple roles , both, in front and behind the camera. A Honest police officer arrests a gang of ruthless criminals. In … Continue reading Apoorva Sagodharargal : Kamal Haasan’s post-modern masala classic remains a towering achievement →

Virumaandi: This brilliant reimagination of Rashomon is the ultimate Kamal Haasan meta movie

Even after 16 years, Kamal Haasan's Virumaandi packs a visceral punch, and for all its debt to Rashomon, it is his ultimate meta movie that analyses Myths, Movies, Truth and Reality. Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather and Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas are two of the greatest films ever made. They are also the greatest movies made … Continue reading Virumaandi: This brilliant reimagination of Rashomon is the ultimate Kamal Haasan meta movie →