On a rainy evening, a theatrical performance was staged and among the crowd a couple was watching it intently.

"I think he might be listening this which will contribute and incline his interests to art. I wish him to be a star which was my dream," says the husband to his pregnant wife.

It might surprise you all as why a scene is being narrated without the star's presence. He was present; in his mother's womb. Hard to believe yet true for Kamal Haasan's first stint in art started as early as even before his birth. His father Srinivasan was a man who aspired to become an actor wanted his child to attain stardom. It was why he toured different strata of art along with his wife in a belief that the child, a boy or girl about to be born will be inculcated with ingenuity.

Despite his father's demise, it was Kamal's mother Rajalakshmi who kept his disinterest in studies aside and gave absolute freedom for his interests. Being in a large family of highly educated people, he sprouted without education but with phenomenal skills.

The title Universal Star depicts the actor's caricature promptly. He holds the potency to make audience feel the emotions related on screen. Be it the cherub like portrayal of an orphaned boy in 'Kalathur Kannama', elided lover of the retarded girl in 'Moondram Pirai' or the manikin Appu of 'Apoorva Sagotharargal'; his grief on screen directly associates with the spectators.

It is not just sympathy that he is capable of but also humor that stands tall in plethora of movies including, 'Michael Madhana Kamarajan', 'Sathi Leelavathi', 'Avvai Shanmugi', 'Thenali'. 'Hey Ram' and 'Anbe Sivam' are milestones in his path. The list goes on endless as he left no stones unturned in his career as the lauded actor of Tamil cinema.

Language has never been a constraint for the actor as he made it big in Telugu with his 'Marocharitra' by K Balachander and its remake in Hindi as 'Ek Tuje Keliye'. Again the list is at length as he has performed in quite a few hits in both Telugu and Hindi. National award for the Best Actor was bagged by him four times for his stellar performances.

Hollywood-ish quality is what Kamal Haasan yearns for as he tried out innovative and experimental demeanors in his movies that reached a pinnacle with his latest 'Dasavatharam'. It can be unanimously termed that he is the definition of dedication.

Never he rests and is still on his path to the crest of cinema.

Although the thespian has refrained people from celebrating his birthday, it is hard not to recall his colossal history in celluloid on this day.

Refrain from celebrations – Kamal’s request

Listen to Kamal Haasan’s birthday special songs on Raaga.com