Kamal Haasan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Parthasarthy Srinivasan
Haasan in 2022
President of the Makkal Needhi Maiam
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 February 2018
Preceded by	Position established
General Secretary of Makkal Needhi Maiam
In office 25 December 2020 – 26 February 2023
Preceded by	Arunchalam
Succeeded by	Arunchalam
Personal details
Born	Parthasarathy Srinivasan (1954-11-07) 7 November 1954 (age 70) Paramakudi, Madras State, India
Political party	Makkal Needhi Maiam (2018–present)
Spouses	Vani Ganapathy ​ ​ (m. 1978; div. 1988)​ Sarika Thakur ​ ​ (m. 1988; div. 2004)​
Domestic partner	Gautami (2005–2016)
Children	Shruti Akshara
Relatives	See Haasan family
Occupation	Actor Film director Film producer Choreographer Playback singer Lyricist Television presenter Social activist Politician
Awards	Padma Shri (1990) Padma Bhushan (2014) Prix Henri-Langlois French Award (2016) Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier) (2016)

Parthasarathy Srinivasan (born 7 November 1954), known as Kamal Haasan, is a famous Indian actor, director, and politician. He has worked in many films, mostly in Tamil cinema. He has also appeared in films in Malayalam, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, and Bengali.

Kamal Haasan is known for bringing new ideas and technologies to Tamil films. He has won many awards, including four National Film Awards and eighteen Filmfare Awards South. He received the Padma Shri in 1990 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014. These are high honors from the Indian government.

Early Life and Family Background

Kamal Haasan was born on November 7, 1954, in Paramakudi, India. His father, D. Srinivasan, was a lawyer and freedom fighter. His mother, Rajalakshmi, was a homemaker. He was first named Parthasarathy, but his father later changed it to Kamal Haasan.

Kamal is the youngest of four children. His older brothers, Charuhasan and Chandrahasan, also acted in films. His sister, Nalini, is a classical dancer. Kamal started his education in Paramakudi. Later, he moved to Madras (now Chennai) to continue his studies. His father encouraged his interest in films and fine arts.

Film Career Highlights

Kamal Haasan began his acting journey as a child. He later became a versatile artist known for his many roles.

Starting as a Child Actor (1960s)

Kamal Haasan started his career very young. He debuted in the 1960 Tamil film Kalathur Kannamma. For this role, he won a special award called the President's Gold Medal at just six years old. He acted in five more films as a child. He also appeared in his first Malayalam film, Kannum Karalum, in 1962.

After a break, he joined a theater group. This experience helped him learn a lot about acting and makeup.

Becoming a Lead Actor (1970s)

In the 1970s, Kamal Haasan returned to films. He worked as a dance assistant and had small roles. His first main role was in the Malayalam film Kanyakumari (1974). He won his first Filmfare Award for this movie.

His big break in Tamil cinema came with Apoorva Raagangal (1975). He played a rebellious young man who falls in love with an older woman. He even learned to play the mridangam (a drum) for this role. This film earned him another Filmfare Award.

He starred in many successful films during this decade. These included 16 Vayathinile (1977) and Sigappu Rojakkal (1978). He also made his debut in Kannada and Telugu films. By the end of the 1970s, he had won six regional Filmfare Awards.

Versatile Roles and National Recognition (1980s)

The 1980s were a big decade for Kamal Haasan. He made his Hindi film debut with Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981). This film was a remake of his Telugu movie Maro Charitra.

In 1981, he acted in his 100th film, Raja Paarvai. He also started his own production company. He won his first National Film Award for Best Actor for Moondram Pirai (1982). In this film, he played a schoolteacher caring for a patient with memory loss. He later remade this film in Hindi as Sadma.

He starred in Sagara Sangamam (1983), playing a classical dancer. This role won him his first Nandi Award. In 1986, he acted in Swathi Muthyam, playing a person with autism. This film was India's entry for the Academy Awards.

In 1987, he starred in Mani Ratnam's Nayakan. This film is considered one of the greatest Indian films ever made. It earned him his second National Award. He also acted in his only silent film, Pushpaka Vimana. By the end of the 1980s, he had won awards in many different film industries.

Exploring New Characters (1990s)

In the 1990s, Kamal Haasan continued to take on challenging roles. In Michael Madana Kama Rajan (1990), he played quadruplets (four identical brothers). He won awards for his roles in Gunaa (1991) and Thevar Magan (1992). He also wrote the story for Thevar Magan. This film was India's submission for the Academy Awards.

He won his third National Film Award for Best Actor for Indian. In this film, he played dual roles, including an old freedom fighter. This film was also India's entry for the Academy Awards.

In 1997, he played a woman in the comedy Avvai Shanmughi, inspired by Mrs. Doubtfire. He also directed the Hindi remake, Chachi 420. He started directing a big historical film called Marudhanayagam, but it was not completed due to budget issues.

Directing and Blockbusters (2000s)

After a short break, Kamal Haasan directed his second film, Hey Ram (2000). It was a historical drama about the partition of India. He also produced, choreographed, and wrote the screenplay and lyrics for the film.

He starred in the successful comedy Thenali (2000). In Aalavandhan (2001), he played two different roles, even shaving his head and gaining weight for one.

He directed Virumaandi (2004), a film about capital punishment. It won the Best Asian Film Award at a film festival. He also acted in Anbe Sivam (2003), where he played a communist. His performance was highly praised.

In 2008, he starred in Dasavathaaram, where he played ten different roles. This film was a huge success and was one of the first modern science-fiction films in India. It was the highest-grossing Tamil film at that time.

Recent Works and Future Projects (2010s-Present)

Filming of Vishwaroopam

In 2013, Kamal Haasan's film Vishwaroopam was released. It won two National Film Awards. The film faced some issues in Tamil Nadu, but it was later released after some changes. It became the second highest-grossing Tamil film of 2013.

He continued to work on sequels and remakes, including Vishwaroopam II and Papanasam (2015). In 2022, he starred in Vikram, which was a massive commercial success. It became one of the highest-grossing Tamil films ever. He also sang the popular song "Pathala Pathala" from the film.

Kamal Haasan has been cast as the villain in the upcoming Telugu film Kalki 2898 AD (2024). He is also working on Indian 2 and has announced new films with famous directors.

Off-Screen Contributions to Cinema

Kamal Haasan is not just an actor; he is also involved in many other parts of filmmaking. He has written the screenplays for many of his films, including Apoorva Sagodharargal and Dasavathaaram.

His production company, Raaj Kamal Films International, has produced several of his movies. He has also directed films like Chachi 420, Hey Ram, and Virumaandi. Early in his career, he even worked as a choreographer for other actors.

Kamal Haasan has also written songs for his films and is a talented playback singer. He has sung in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, and English. During the COVID-19 pandemic in India, he wrote and directed a music video called "Arivum Anbum" to spread awareness.

Television Appearances

Kamal Haasan became a popular television host in 2017. He hosted the first season of Bigg Boss Tamil on Star Vijay TV. The show quickly became one of the most-watched TV series in Tamil Nadu. He continued to host several seasons of Bigg Boss Tamil. He also hosted Bigg Boss Ultimate (Season 1) in 2022, but later left due to film commitments.

Fashion Line

Kamal Haasan launched his own fashion brand called KH House of Khaddar (KHHK). This venture shows his interest in different creative fields.

Personal Life and Family

Haasan with daughters Shruti (left) and Akshara (right)

Kamal Haasan was born into a Tamil family in Paramakudi. He is the youngest of four children. His older brothers, Charuhasan and Chandrahasan, were also involved in films. His sister, Nalini, is a dance teacher.

Kamal Haasan has two daughters, Shruti and Akshara. Shruti is a singer and actress, and Akshara is an assistant director and actress. His family members, including his nieces and nephews, are also part of the film industry.

Views and Beliefs

Kamal Haasan is a rationalist. This means he often questions the existence of God and believes in reason and logic. He has explored these ideas in his films like Anbe Sivam and Dasavathaaram.

He is considered a left-leaning or independent politician. He entered politics in 2018, forming his own party.

Humanitarian Work

Haasan with social activist M. B. Nirmal (right) in Chennai

Kamal Haasan is known for his social work. He was the first Tamil actor to turn his fan clubs into welfare organizations. These clubs, called Kamal Narpani Iyakkam (Kamal Welfare Association), organize blood and eye donation drives. They also donate educational materials to students.

He received the Abraham Kovoor National Award in 2004 for his humanitarian work. He has supported orphanages for children affected by HIV/AIDS. In 2010, he launched a children's cancer relief fund. He has also pledged his income from product endorsements to social causes.

In 2014, the Indian Prime Minister nominated him for the Swachh Bharat (Clean India) campaign. He participated by cleaning a lake in Chennai.

Writings

Kamal Haasan publishes a magazine called Mayyam. This magazine is from his Kamal Haasan Welfare Association. He has also published his thoughts on cinema and other topics in a book. He is very interested in Tamil literature.

Political Career

Kamal Haasan officially launched his political party, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), on February 21, 2018. The party's name means "People's Justice Centre." Its flag shows six joined hands in a circle, symbolizing unity.

His party participated in the 2019 Indian general election but did not win any seats. In the 2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election, he ran for election from Coimbatore South but lost by a small number of votes.

Elections Contested

Awards and Honours

Haasan with Ang Lee

Kamal Haasan has received many awards for his work. He won the President's gold medal for Best Child Actor for his first film, Kalathur Kannamma. He has won three National Film Awards for Best Actor. He also won a National Film Award as a producer for Thevar Magan.

He holds a record of 20 Filmfare Awards across five languages. After his last award in 2000, he asked the organization not to give him any more awards. In 2003, some of his films were shown at the Rotterdam Film Festival. In 2004, Virumaandi won the Best Asian film award.

In 2005, he received an honorary doctorate degree. He also received the Living Legend Award in 2007. In 2010, the Indian government held a special event to celebrate his films. He has also received the Kalaimamani Award from the government of Tamil Nadu.

Kamal Haasan is highly respected in the film industry. Many famous actors and filmmakers have praised his talent and knowledge. Hollywood filmmaker Barrie M. Osborne called his knowledge of films "encyclopedic."

See also

In Spanish: Kamal Haasan para niños

• Raaj Kamal Films International
• Makkal Needhi Maiam
• Haasan family