Kamal also participated in the betrothal (engagement) of Prabhu’s daughter. (Sorry, no photos yet!) Kamal’s connections to Sivaji Ganesan’s family are well-known.

[With inputs from Ananth]

Here’s some more old news…

In July, Kamal, along with Rajni and Karunanidhi, attended the preview of Uliyin Osai, a movie scripted by the Chief Minister and starring Vineeth and Keerthi Chawla. While the movie received appreciation from some quarters, Kamal kept it to a minimum. Read reports from Behindwoods and IndiaGlitz.

Last month, Kamal was invited to a function in Thanjavur, where Sivaji Ganesan’s statue was to be inaugurated. There were doubts if he would attend considering the political background of the event. Kamal rightly skipped it, avoiding controversy.

[With inputs from Ananth]

[Picture courtesy: BehindWoods]

Kamal has been frank as ever in defending the movie. If you watched the recent “making of Dasavathaaram” programme on Kalaignar TV, you’re lucky. Otherwise, he did admit elsewhere that there were faults in Dasavathaaram. Again, check out Webdunia and CineSouth for reports.

[With inputs from Ananth]

As a rule, all interviews are meant for effect. That’s the way it should be. Celebrities should preserve a side to them that is not for public.Over the years, I have mastered the golden blend where I don’t lie, but don’t tell the complete truth either.

I cannot be accused of showing off in Nayakan and definitely not in Mahanadi. Maybe this has to do with the phase an actor goes through. I had a lot at stake during EDKL and I didn’t want to go unnoticed. I think the effort showed. Once the actor is assured of the applause, he settles down. So critics who say that Kamal Haasan is narcissistic are those who’re not updated on Kamal Haasan. I take my critics seriously. And if I’ve to take my cues from them, they had better be constructive and intelligent.

I gave up Hindi films too easily. I compared it to South cinema and became disillusioned.

I do a retake only when I can convince the director that what I have in the offing is better than the original. Mind you, I’m not always right.

I wanted to be the master. I wanted to dictate, not be dictated. I wanted to pursue films as a dream, not as a nine-to-five job.

I’m never self-conscious about anybody. My problem with Sarika working behind the scenes was of a different kind. Sarika and I are too independent in our thinking and therefore often tend to disagree. She’s an excellent worker, she’s highly dedicated and disciplined and once on the sets does not indulge in playing Kamal Haasan’s wife.

I’d have preferred it if there was more output. Somehow, a lot of time gets lost in floundering…The ideal situation would be to have at least four releases a year.

…Mahanadi is my all-time favourite, so is Kurudhipunal, but the credit for Kurudhipunal should go more to the producer, than the actor. Amongst my old films, I think I’m competent in Sagar Sangamam…I’d say that Nayakan and Thevar Magan are complete films.

…I should have directed a film 10 years ago. According to my friends I’m overdue by almost 20 years.

…To write an autobiography I’ll have to lie and the kind of truths I know will hurt too many people. Exposing so many people is vanity. I might do it some time later, but not now. I’m not ready for it as yet.

Though I pretend to be organised, I am not. Like most successful men, I have all the trappings of punctuality but it is restricted to checking the wristwatch for an appointment.

For certain films, it’s a waste of time to go into an indeph character study. These are roles that don’t demand energy.

The film is inspired from Govind Nihalani’s Drohkaal. The initial agreement was that we’d dub the film in Hindi after it was released down South. The director however had second thoughts. He said that the distributors were asking for refund from territories where Drohkaal hadn’t fared well.

I’m not the happy kind. I’ll never settle down for happiness.

Read Part I and Part II of the whole interview.

As in many other places, Dasavathaaram has broken records in Srilanka too. After setting a record of 50 days in 10 theatres, it marches onto its 75th day.

It is important to note that the film business is different in the small island nation that is also torn apart by the Tamil Eelam conflict. This also has a direct effect as seen in the above newspaper ad (thanx to Mayooran and Karthick of Kamal Haasan Orkut community). The shows in Jaffna are scheduled before 6 p.m., the time at which curfew begins.

One would also remember that Kamal’s Guru had a record-breaking run in Srilanka in the early 80s.

The movie will be a joint production with Raajkamal Films International, putting to rest speculation in the media involving Warner Brothers, Soundarya Rajnikanth’s Ocher Studios and so on. They aren’t yet ready to make any annoucements on the cast and crew. So, all rumours involving Kajol (Thatstamil | IndiaGlitz | Dinakaran), Padmapriya (Webdunia | Galatta.com | Behindwoods | TamilCinema.com) and even Nayantara can hibernate for now. Remember, even Sathyaraj and Vaiyapuri weren’t spared!

Marmayogi will be launched on September 14. As is the norm, it will be a trilingual and there is also a possibility of an English version.

News reports are available at Sify.com, Behindwoods, IndiaGlitz and KollywoodToday.com.

On a side note, we can notice Kamal’s growing hair both above and below the head.

[With inputs from Ananth]

[Picture courtesy: BehindWoods]

[With inputs from Ananth]

[Picture courtesy: BehindWoods]

I am an Indian first and then a Tamilian. India is a beautiful country mapped by the olden day rajas and maharajas. There were regional differences then, but today, they are getting erased. We are Indian first, then come our geographical and cultural differences. But don’t we all respect the same tricolour?

Rao mentions special shoes, using a trench, masking technique and also artifical legs. He also throws light on the efforts put in by Kamal. Read the whole report from The Hindu.

Still, we await the short video on the making which Kamal had promised to release.

Mid East Cup Area is a tea shop in Eldams Road, Chennai that serves “Kamal Tea”! It is named so as a tribute to Kamal, who used to be a regular visitor in his pre-star days. He still manages to catch a cup once in a while, it is said. The tea itself is a kind of masala (spiced) tea with a secret ingredient.