Kamal Haasan is an Indian film actor, screenwriter, director, producer, playback singer and politician, primarily associated with Tamil cinema. Born on 7 November 1954 in Paramakudi, Madras State (present-day Tamil Nadu), he is regarded as one of the most influential figures in Indian cinema, with a career spanning over six decades. He founded the political party Makkal Needhi Maiam in 2018.
Key Facts
| Full name | Kamal Haasan (born Parthasarathy Srinivasan) |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 November 1954, Paramakudi, Tamil Nadu |
| Father | D. Srinivasan |
| Mother | Rajalakshmi |
| Siblings | Charuhasan, Chandrahasan, Nalini |
| Spouse(s) | Vani Ganapathy (1978–1988); Sarika (1988–2004) |
| Children | Shruti Haasan, Akshara Haasan |
| Occupation | Actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, politician |
| Debut film | Kalathur Kannamma (1960, as a child artist) |
| Production house | Raaj Kamal Films International (founded 1981) |
| Political party | Makkal Needhi Maiam (founded 21 February 2018) |
| Honours | Padma Shri (1990), Padma Bhushan (2014), Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France) |
Background
Kamal Haasan was born into a Tamil Iyengar family. His father, D. Srinivasan, was a lawyer and freedom fighter, and his mother, Rajalakshmi, was a homemaker. His elder brother Charuhasan is also an actor and a National Film Award recipient. Kamal entered cinema as a four-year-old in A. Bhimsingh's Kalathur Kannamma (1960), for which he won the President's Gold Medal for child artistes.
After a brief hiatus, he returned in supporting roles during the early 1970s and worked as an assistant choreographer before his breakthrough as a lead actor in K. Balachander's Apoorva Raagangal (1975).
Film career
Rise as a leading actor (1975–1980)
The collaboration with K. Balachander shaped his early career, with films such as Manmadha Leelai (1976), Avargal (1977) and Moondru Mudichu (1976). His role in 16 Vayathinile (1977), directed by Bharathiraja, established him as a versatile lead. Sigappu Rojakkal (1978) and the bilingual Maro Charitra (1978) further widened his audience.
Pan-Indian recognition (1980s)
Kamal Haasan made his Hindi film debut in Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981), a remake of Maro Charitra, which became a major commercial success. He also worked extensively in Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Bengali cinema. Notable films of this period include Moondram Pirai (1982), Sagara Sangamam (1983), Swathi Muthyam (1986) and Nayakan (1987), directed by Mani Ratnam. Nayakan was included in Time magazine's All-Time 100 list of best films.
Auteur phase (1990s–2000s)
Kamal Haasan increasingly took on writing, producing and directing duties. Apoorva Sagodharargal (1989), Michael Madana Kama Rajan (1990), Thevar Magan (1992), Mahanadhi (1994), Kuruthipunal (1995), Indian (1996), Avvai Shanmughi (1996) and Hey Ram (2000) showcased his range. He directed Hey Ram, Virumaandi (2004) and the ambitious Dasavathaaram (2008), in which he played ten roles.
Recent work
His later films include Vishwaroopam (2013) and its sequel Vishwaroopam II (2018), Papanasam (2015), Vikram (2022), directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, and Indian 2 (2024). Vikram became one of the highest-grossing Tamil films.
Other creative work
Kamal Haasan trained as a Bharatanatyam dancer in his youth. He has worked as a playback singer, lyricist and screenwriter on many of his projects. In 2017–2018, he hosted Bigg Boss Tamil on Star Vijay, a role he continued in subsequent seasons.
Political career
On 21 February 2018, Kamal Haasan launched the political party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM, "People's Justice Centre") at Madurai. The party contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the 2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections. In the 2021 assembly polls, Kamal Haasan contested from Coimbatore South but lost narrowly. In 2024, MNM allied with the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance for the Lok Sabha elections; Kamal Haasan was subsequently elected to the Rajya Sabha.
Awards and honours
- Padma Shri (1990)
- Padma Bhushan (2014)
- Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, awarded by the Government of France
- Multiple National Film Awards, including Best Actor for Moondram Pirai (1982), Nayakan (1987) and Indian (1996)
- Several Filmfare Awards South and Tamil Nadu State Film Awards
Significance
Kamal Haasan is credited with bringing experimentation to mainstream Tamil cinema through unconventional themes, prosthetic transformations and multi-role performances. His work in Nayakan, Thevar Magan, Indian and Hey Ram influenced a generation of filmmakers across south Indian cinema. As a producer, his Raaj Kamal Films International has supported writer-driven films. His political entry in 2018 represented one of the more prominent crossovers from Tamil cinema to electoral politics after M. G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa.
Related topics
- Tamil Cinema
- Rajinikanth
- K. Balachander
- Mani Ratnam
- Makkal Needhi Maiam
- Shruti Haasan
- Nayakan
- Indian (1996 film)
- National Film Awards
- Padma Bhushan
References
- Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs — Padma Awards announcements.
- National Film Awards archives, Directorate of Film Festivals, India.
- Election Commission of India — candidate records, 2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election.
- Press releases of Makkal Needhi Maiam, 2018 onwards.