‘Malayalam cinema and Balachander sir served as solace for me’: Kamal Haasan

In a heartwarming conversation about his decades-long cinematic journey with Anupama Chopra for The Hollywood Reporter India, legendary actor Kamal Haasan spoke at length about the art of cinema and his undying passion for it.

Talking about his early days, struggles, and rise to stardom, Kamal Haasan delved deep into his connection with K. Balachander—the great filmmaker whom the superstar considers his ‘guru/mentor’—his camaraderie with ace director Mani Ratnam, the dynamics of violence in cinema, and his upcoming film Thug Life, which marks his collaboration with Mani after nearly three and a half decades.

“Despite not doing a film together, we were always in touch, had conversations. We are of the same ‘wavelength’ but have different ‘vocabularies’,” Kamal Haasan said candidly in the interview.

Connection with Malayalam Cinema

In a heartwarming revelation for Malayalis, Kamal Haasan spoke highly of the Malayalam film industry.

In the conversation with Anupama—renowned film critic and journalist—he stated, “To begin with, Malayalam cinema and Balachander sir were like solace for me.”

“Elsewhere, it was mostly about the commercial aspects, but Malayalam cinema was different. I had a lot to learn from almost all the actors I worked with.” The seasoned performer recalled the finesse of artists such as Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair and P.J. Antony.

He also went on to talk about the beloved ‘Sathyan Master’—a true superstar in every sense.

Touching upon his love for Girish Karnad’s classic Kaadu and what he considers his duty to support youngsters in the film industry, Kamal Haasan’s wholesome interview proved to be a rich source of insights for cinephiles.