Did Kamal Haasan foresee the tragic Coromandel Express train accident 20 years ago?

The tragic Shalimar Chennai Coromandel Express (12841) train accident that has shell shocked the nation after it claimed 260 lives with 900 people severely injured.  The mishap reportedly occurred after the train changed tracks due to a human error and crashed into a static goods train. A few of the 22 compartments that derailed hit the Sir M Visveswaraya Terminal-Howrah Superfast Express (12864)  that also crossed at the same time on Friday at around 7pm.

Makkal Needhi Maiam leader Kamal Haasan condoled the incident by writing on Twitter “The collision between two passenger trains and a freight train near Balasore in Odisha has left more than 280 people dead and more than a thousand injured.  In this accident that has shaken the country, people from Tamil Nadu have also suffered greatly, which adds to our pain. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.  This train accident, which has caused shockwaves around the world, has become one of the greatest tragedies in Indian history. Let us support the victims and the people of the country to recover from the impact of the accident.”

Kamal fans on social media have shared footage of scenes from Kamal Haasan’s cult classic film ‘Anbe Sivam’ released in 2003 which co-incidentally share a lot in common with the current triple train accident.  In the film Kamal and Madhavan will be travelling in a train from Odisha when on the way they will encounter a gruesome train accident involving the very same Coramandel Express bound to Chennai.

Critics and fans praised the art direction by M. Prabhakar in creating the train accident with compartments derailed and severed bodies strewn all around in ‘Anbe Sivam’.  This was achieved by screenwriter Kamal, director Sundar C and the technical crew at a time when computer graphics were’nt available.

Incidentally for the first time in Indian cinema Kamal wrote a stunning sequence of a Tsunami hitting the Indian shores in ‘Anbe Sivam’ and just a year later on December 26th 2004 the giant waves hit India killing thousands.

Kamal is currently shooting for ‘Indian 2’ directed by Shankar following which he will work with H. Vinoth in ‘KH233’, Prabhas’s ‘Project K’ directed by Nag Ashwin and ‘KH 234’ directed by Mani Ratnam.

 

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