Kamal Haasan Biography

Happy Birthday Kamal Haasan

Date of Birth::  November 07, 1954(Age-58)
Place of Birth::  Paramakudi, Tamil Nadu, India

Father: D.Srinivasan (criminal lawyer)
Mother: Rajalakshmi
Spouse(s): Vani Ganapathi (1978-1988), Sarika (1988-2000),Gouthami Tadimalla (Now)
Daughters: Shruti Haasan,Akshara Haasan
Brothers: Chaaru Haasan & Chandra Haasan

BIOGRAPHY

Early career:
1960s early 1970s:
Kamal Haasan made his film debut as a 6-year-old child artiste, in the film Kalathur Kannamma, which was released in 1960, directed by A. Bhimsingh. He was cast along with the Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan in the film. He acted as a child actor in five other Tamil films in the subsequent few years co-starring with Sivaji Ganesan and M. G. Ramachandran.
Following a nine year hiatus from films, to concentrate on his education,Haasan returned with a series of low budget films in 1972, in all ofwhich he played supporting roles. These films included roles in Arangetram and Sollathaan Ninaikkiren, both co-starring Sivakumar. His final supporting role before establishing himself as a lead actor was in Naan Avanillai.

Late 1970s 1980s:
Kamal Haasan first received a regional Filmfare Award for acting for his role in the Malayalam film Kanyakumari (1974).In the next four years, he won six regional Best Actor Filmfare Awards, including four consecutive Best Tamil Actor Awards.He acted in director K. Balachander's Apoorva Raagangal,an exploration of age-gap relationships. The late 1970s was a periodthat saw Kamal Haasan's frequent collaboration with K. Balachander, whoalso cast him in many of his socially-themed films such as Avargal (1977).

The film won Haasan his first Filmfare Best Tamil Actor Award.In 1976, Haasan appeared in the drama Moondru Mudichu with Rajinikanth and Sridevi, another K. Balachander film, Manmadha Leelai, and Oru Oodhappu Kan Simittugiradhu, which won him his second consecutive Best Actor Award. 16 Vayathinile won him his third consecutive award, where he appeared as an mentally ill villager, once again alongside Rajinikanth and Sridevi.
The fourth consecutive award came with Sigappu Rojakalin which he appeared as an anti-hero who is a psychopathic sexualkiller. In the late seventies, Haasan appeared in other films such asthe comedy, Ninaithale Inikkum and the horror film, Neeya.
Haasan's pairing with the actress Sridevi continued with Guru and Varumayin Niram Sigappu in 1980. Kamal Haasan also made guestcameo appearances, such as in the Rajnikanth film Thillu Mullu; Rajinikanth had previously appeared in some of Kamal Haasan's previous films.
Haasan's 100th career film appearance was in 1981's Raja Paarvai, which also marked his debut in film production. Despite this film's relatively poor reception at the cinemas , his portrayal of a blind session violinist earned him a Filmfare Award.His next acting role, in Ek Duuje Ke Liye, became his first Hindi-language film. It was the remake of his previous Telugu-language film, Maro Charithra by K. Balachandar.
Following a year of starring in commercially-oriented films, Haasan won his first of three National Awards for Best Actor with his portrayal of a school teacher who looks after a mentally retarded girl in Balu Mahendra's Moondram Pirai. In 1983, Haasan appeared in Thoongadhey Thambi Thoongadhey playing a double role.

Till 1985, Haasan began to appear in more Hindi language films, including Saagar, for which he was awarded both the Filmfare Best Actor Award and the Best Supporting Actor Award, making him the first actor to win both awards for a single film. Saagar portrayed him alongisde Rishi Kapoor both of whom were pinning for a woman, but Haasan ultimately loses out.
Haasan also appeared in Geraftaar. He featured in Tamil cinema's first sequel Japanil Kalyanaraman, which followed up his previous, Kalyanaraman as well as acting in Uruvangal Maralam co-starring Sivaji Ganesan and Rajinikanth.
In the mid-1980s, Haasan appeared in two Telugu language films, Sagara Sangamam and Swathi Muthyam with director, Kasinadhuni Viswanath. The latter film was India's representative for the Academy Award for the Best Foreign Language Film in 1986.Whilst, the former film portrayed Haasan as a drunkard classical dancer, Swathi Muthyam portrays him as an autistic person attempting to change society.
Following Punnagai Mannan, in which he portrays dual roles including a satire of Charlie Chaplin and Vetri Vizha as an amnesiac, Haasan appeared in Mani Rathnam's 1987 film Nayagan. Nayagan portrays the life of an underworld don in Bombay. The story revolves around the life of a real-life underworld don called Varadarajan Mudaliar, whilst sympathetically depicting the struggle of South Indians living in Mumbai.

Haasan received a Indian National Award for his performance and Nayagan was nominated by India as its entry for the Best Foreign Language Film for the Academy Awards in 1987 as well as being included in the Time top 100 movies list. In 1988, Haasan appeared in his only silent film to date; appearing in the black comedy, Pushpak. In 1989, Haasan played a triple role in Apoorva Sagodharargal. The commercial film portrayed him in a role as a dwarf. He then attempted dual roles in Indrudu Chandrudu and its Tamil remake, winning the regional Best Actor Award for his performance.

The 1990s:
Michael Madhana Kamarajanin 1991 saw Haasan go one step further, acting in four different rolesas quadruplets, the film started an ongoing collabaration for comedy films between Haasan and Crazy Mohan, a dialogue writer. Haasan won successive best actor awards for his portrayal of the protagonist in Guna and in Thevar Magan, where he played the son of actor, Sivaji Ganesan.
After films such as Singaravelan, Maharasan and Kalaignan; Haasan began to appear in comedies such as Sathi Leelavathi, based on the English film She-Devil, as well as renewing his collobaration with Kasinadhuni Viswanath in his last Telugu language film till date, Subha Sankalpam. In 1996, Haasan starred in the police story, Kuruthipunal. His success in Kuruthipunal, was followed by his third National Film Award for Best Actor in Indian.Playing dual roles of a freedom fighter and his untrustful son, thefilm also won Haasan regional awards and plaudits for his portrayal.
Haasan appeared as a woman in Avvai Shanmughi. In 1997, Haasan began his first directorial venture, the biopic of Mohammed Yusuf Khan, Marudhanayagam which failed to complete its schedules with only half an hour and a trailer being recorded during its shoot. Haasan soon made his debut as director with a remake of Avvai Shanmughi in Hindi titled Chachi 420.

2000s: Hey Ram and onwards
Following a two-year hiatus in Indian cinema, Haasan opted against reviving his magnum opus, Marudhanayagam, and filmed his second directorial venture, Hey Ram, a period drama told in flashback with a semi-fictional plot centering around India's Partition and the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.Haasan also took on roles as the writer, the lyricist and thechoreographer as well as producing the film under his home banner. Hisfollowing film was Aalavandhan, where he portrayed two distinct roles, for one of which he had his head tonsured and gained ten kilograms.
Following a series of comedies in Thenali, Panchathantiram and Pammal K. Sambandam and a couple of guest appearances, Haasan directed his third feature film in Virumaandi, a film about the death penalty. Haasan also appeared in Anbe Sivam alongside Madhavan. Priyadarshan, who started the film, departed allowing commercial director Sundar C to complete the film. Anbe Sivamtold the story of Nallasivam, enacted by Haasan as an idealist, socialactivist and communist. Kamal Haasan's performance was highly lauded bycritics with The Hindu stating that Haasan "has once again done Tamil cinema proud".
Haasan appeared in the remake film Vasool Raja alongside Sneha. In 2006, Haasan's long delayed project, Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu emerged. Gautham Menon's Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu was Haasan's first cop film since Kuruthipunal. In 2008, Haasan delivered Dasavathaaram playing ten roles. Pairing opposite Asin Thottumkal,Haasan reprises ten roles in the film. The film, which Haasan had to goto court to sort out story legalities, was released in June 2008.
Following the completion of Dasavathaaram, Haasan opted to direct his fourth directorial venture, with a film tentatively titled Marmayogi. Currently, prior to Marmayogi, Haasan is producing and starring in a quick venture, titled Unnaipol Oruvan, co-starring him with Mohanlal which is said to mark Haasan's fiftieth year of acting. Kamal Haasan's daughter Shruthi Haasan is the music composer of Unnaipol Oruvan.

Life:
Family:
Kamal Haasan is the youngest of three brothers, the others being Chaaru Haasan and Chandra Haasan. Chaaru Haasan is a National Film Award-winning actor. His daughter, Suhasini is also a National Film Award Winner and is married to director Mani Ratnam, who collaborated with Kamal Haasan in 1987's Nayagan.Chandra Haasan has appeared as the producer for several of KamalHaasan's films as well as being an executive of Kamal Haasan's homeproduction company, Rajkamal International.

Relationships:
In Haasan's early career, he co-starred in several Tamil and Malayalam films with actress Srividya. Srividya, who died in 2006, was visited by Haasan at her bedside during her final days.In 1978, at the age of twenty four, Haasan met and married danseuseVani Ganapathy, who was elder to him. Vani put on the mantle of costumedesigner for her Haasan's movies and was publicized for walking alongwith Haasan into the Filmfare Awards Southceremony of 1980, immediately after their wedding. The pair split afterten years together, after finding out that Haasan was involved in aphysical relationship with fellow actress Sarika, with Haasan confirming in a recent interview that he and Vani have never been in touch since.
Subsequently, Haasan and Sarika married in 1988, with the pair having two children: Shruti Haasan (born 1986) a singer and actress, and Akshara Haasan (born 1991) a student in Kolkata.Sarika, retired from acting roles soon after her marriage with Haasan,replacing his ex-wife, Vani Ganapathy as Haasan's costume designer. Thepair filed for divorce in 2002, with Sarika estranging herself from herchildren as well as Haasan by the end of the procedure in 2004. He is now living with actress Gouthami Tadimalla

FILMOGRAPHY
UPCOMING
Marmayogi  (2012)  (Announced)Director,Actor
Vishwaroopam (2012)  (Announced)Director,Story,Screenplay,Actor
500 BC  (2012)  (Filming)Actor
TILL DATE
4 Friends (2012) Actor
Manmadha Banam (2010) Story,Screenplay,Actor,Singer
Eenadu (2009) Producer,Actor
Dasavatharam (2008) Story,Screenplay,Actor
Raghavan (2007) Actor
Pogaru (2006) Action
Mumbai Express (2005) Story,Screenplay,Actor,Singer
Pothuraju (2004) Director,Story,Screenplay,Actor
Sathyame Sivam (2003) Presents,Story,Screenplay,Actor
Evare Athagadu (2003) Action
Panchatantram (2002) Story,Actor
Brahmachari (2002) Actor
Abhay (2001) Actor
Paravasam (2001) Supporting Cast
Tenali (2000) Actor
Kshatriya Putrudu (2000) Screenplay,Actor
Bharateeyudu (1996) Actor
Bhamane Satya Bhamane (1996) Actor
Subha Sankalpam (1995) Actor
Drohi (1995) Producer,Screenplay,Actor,Dialogues
Paasavalai (1995) Actor
Sati Leelavathi (1995) Actor
Magalir Mattum (1994) Producer
Mahanadi (1993) Story,Screenplay,Actor
Guna (1992) Actor
Michael Madana Kama Raju (1991) Screenplay,Actor
Indhrudu Chandrudu (1989) Actor
Apoorva Sahodarulu (1989) Producer,Actor
Andhari Kante Ganudu (1987) Actor
Pushpaka Vimanam (1987) Actor
Nayakudu (1987) Actor
Oka Radha Iddaru Krishnulu (1986) Actor
Swathi Mutyam (1985) Actor
Dongala Vetagadu (1985) Actor
Saagara Sangamam (1983) Actor
Vasantha Kokila (1982) Actor
Andhagadu (1982) Actor
Aakali Raajyam (1981) Actor
Prema Pichi (1981) Actor
Amavasya Chandrudu (1981) Actor
Guru (1980) Actor
Idi Kathakadu (1979) Actor
Sommuokadidi Sokuokadidi (1979) Actor
Andhamina Anubhavam (1979) Actor
Yerra Gulabi (1979) Actor
Maro Cherithra (1978) Actor,Singer
Vayasu Pilichindi (1978) Actor
Amara Prema (1978) Actor
Anthulani Katha (1976) Actor

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