Dasavatharam is the biggest hit in my career - Kamal Hasan

Buoyed by the response and biggest openings that he has received for his latest, Dasavatharam, Kamal has come down to Hyderabad to thank the audiences. He met the local media an interacted with them for a lengthy chat and later went to Prasads Multiplex and saw the movie with the audiences. Here are the excerpts from the chitchat..

What inspired you to make Dasavatharam?

According to our mythologies, definition for an actor is ‘bahuroopi’. So it has been my dream to do 10 roles in a film. And the process has not begun two years back but I have been lived with the idea for 20 years. But I don’t take credit for playing these roles as I am sure that any actor with concentration and dream to do so can definitely do the same feat

You have received accolades for your 10 roles. On other side there is a criticism that the film is very confusing and has no story!

There is always criticism. In fact, I myself am biggest critic to all my films. It is based on ‘chaos theory’ and we established it very well. I don’t know where you found confusing. Even all the ‘10’ roles that I enacted are established within 20 times of the film’s run but the only thing is that you have to be very little attentive. It was that ‘trick’ that we intended.

Can you tell about the film’s collections?

These are the biggest openings in my entire career. I have figures, it is a blockbuster, no doubt it.

How do you connect things from 12th century to the present era?

Everyone is connected to one another – from men to men, generation to generation.  I feel I am linked to the dynasty of emperor Ashoka. Can’t you deny you have no connection to Alluri Seetharamaraju or Kakatiya.

What research did you do for this film?

Over the years, I observed many things that I included in the movie. I don’t need to do research. I know how a Telugu guy speaks Tamil and hence the character Balaram Naidu (in Tamil version) was incorporated. Someone asked me did I do research for Hey Ram for the Gandhi character, I said then: “Richard Attenborough needed to do it. Why would I? I am connected to Gandhi.” Likewise, we all are connected in one way or the other. All you need is observation.

The best compliments that you received from...

My Guru K Balachander brought me to tears with his praise after watching the film. Never did I expect such response. My friend Rajni said he should watch such movies only amidst of the audiences in theatres.

How did you find the Telugu audience’s reactions?

I am moved. I don’t know how to thank the people of Andhra Pradesh. They have been showing love and warm. Some of greatest films are Telugu movies – Maro Charitra, Sagara Sangamam, Swati Mutyam, etc. I came to Hyderabad as a choreographer for an Akkineni Nageswara Rao’s dance number.


Working with Asin and Mallika Sherawat...

Mallika’s character is not that lengthy and I had not enough time to interact with her. But I enjoyed working with Asin. It is tough for her to portray this character. Switching from films where she is required to change clothes for each scene, she was asked in our movie to wear only one or two costumes all through the movie. She really lived the character.


Do you really believe that American President Georged Bush doesn’t know about NaCl?

Not just NaCl, he doesn’t know many things, ...I didn’t want to go into all that. He said recently that the reason for rise of prices is due to overeating of Indians! In fact, Americans turned rice-eaters, and they are eating more and more rice than us. We never ate hamburgers like them, nor beef.

What are your next projects!

My next is Marmayogi. Then I will do Marudhanayagam, and I hope I will get enough money to make it.