Kamal Haasan's Social Activism in cinema
- IndiaGlitz, [Tuesday,November 07 2017]
Kamal Haasan's Social Activism in cinema
Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan's 63rd birthday today carries more significance than ever as he is all poised to enter the political arena after embedding his name in gold in the Indian film industry as its most decorated leading men ever. Here we take a look at some of Kamal Haasan's film roles through which he has displayed some sort of social activism that struck the right chord in the minds of the audiences.
Varumaiyin Niram Sivappu
The Balachander directed film released in the year 1980 touched several aspects of Indian social norms of the period, which is surprisingly so relevant today after thirty seven years. Kamal played the role of Rangan a youth rooted in the philosophies of Bharathiyar at loggerheads with his father. When he goes in search of employment to Delhi he finds that society too has no time for men with principles and the rest of the movie deals with how his character never loses touch of his true self in spite of courting poverty that has a very relevant message to any young man in todays society.
Nayagan
On the surface Mani Ratnam's 'Nayagan' may be your best gangster movie ever, but beneath lies a champion of the downtrodden Velu Nayakkar, played to perfection by Kamal Haasan who has to resort to the flip side of the law to do good for his people who will otherwise be bulldozed away by the powers that be.
Unnal Mudiyum Thambi
The last film that Kamal did as the leading man of K.Balachander, 'Unnaal Mudiyum Thambi' is the most perfect MGR movie of Kamal Haasan after 'Sakala Kala Vallavan'. He played Udayamoorthy the son of a strict class conscious father played brilliantly by Gemini Ganesan. KamalÂs character does everything to break every rigid social norm right from falling for a lower caste girl, to fighting for equal rights for women, crusade against liquor and also giving a loud shout out to the working class and the farmers.
Thevar Magan
Kamal Haasan plays a foreign return who wants to start a restaurant in his hometown, but after repeated requests from his father (the Sivaji Ganesan) to do something for the down trodden he transforms into a complete son of the soil and becomes a champion of the masses destroying the communal forces rampant from his family itself.
Mahanathi
Kamal plays a single father of two children who on the wishes of his offsprings migrates from his village to the big bad city and faces a long stream of misfortunes, but never loses his identity as a self righteous man who takes on the evil forces in the jail system and a dreaded child abuse mafia.
Nammavar
A college professor who wins the hearts of his students by teaching them cleanliness inside and outside, even as a rogue student leader Karan tries to bring out the animal that the professor once was. One of the best role models of a teacher ever in Tamil cinema.
Indian
The disease that has plagued the nation from the time of Independence is corruption and Kamal took on the role of a superman like a septuagenarian freedom fighter who takes it upon himself to eradicate it even if it means killing his own son.
Vasool Raja MBBS
The non stop laugh out loud comedy aside , the loveable Vasool Raja through his Kattipudi Vaithiyam teaches the importance of showing compassion towards fellow human beings. Kamal represents the common man in questioning the way the medical fraternity works and emphasizes the need for them to treat their patients as humans.
Dasavatharam
Coming from Kamal Haasan's pen, 'Dasavatharam' is not all about him doing ten, the most by a Tamil actor in cinema. Through the character of Poovaraghavan, Kamal fights the sand mafia and at the death of the character the unhinged Brahmin mother mourns for him and what more can you ask in terms of communal harmony. His final punch as an atheist is musing that it would be great if God really existed.
Unnaipol Oruvan
To prove who the terrorists are and how they operate, Kamal a nameless, faceless common man from the minority population becomes the terrorist . Wishing the most scientific innovator artiste, Tamil cinema has ever known a Happy Birthday and wishing you the all success in your future as a public -servant in the true sense of the word.