Kamal Haasan

**Kamal Haasan** (born 7 November 1954) is an Indian film actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and politician, widely regarded as one of the greatest and most versatile actors in the history of Indian cinema.  Kamal Haasan has worked in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada cinema. He is also known for his work as a director and producer.

He has been honored with several awards for his contributions to cinema, including the prestigious Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, India's third and fourth highest civilian awards.

## Early Life and education

Kamal Haasan was born in Paramakudi, Tamil Nadu, to D. Srinivasan, a lawyer, and Rajalakshmi, a homemaker. Kamal Haasan’s early education took place in schools in Tamil Nadu.

Haasan made his acting debut as a child artist in the Tamil film _Kalathur Kannamma_ (1959), which won him the President's Gold Medal.

## Career

Kamal Haasan’s career began at the age of five when he appeared in a small role in the film _Kalathur Kannamma_. As a young man, Haasan moved to Chennai, where he worked with filmmakers such as K. Balachander and Bharathiraja.

### Acting

Over the years, Haasan has portrayed a wide variety of characters, ranging from villains to heroes, from comedic roles to serious and emotionally charged performances. Some of his most iconic films include:

- **'Nayakan_ (1987) – A crime drama, where Kamal Haasan's portrayal of a Bombay don earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Tamil).
- **'Dasavathaaram_ (2008) – Kamal Haasan took on ten different roles in this film, showcasing his ability to play multiple characters, a feat that garnered international attention.
- **'Vishwaroopam_ (2013) – A spy thriller written, directed, and produced by Haasan, where he not only acted but also contributed to the screenplay and production.

### Directing

Haasan made his directorial debut with the Tamil film _Chachi 420_ (1997), where he also starred as the lead actor.

- **'Hey Ram_ (2000) – A historical drama based on India's partition, where Kamal Haasan played the role of a man struggling with the trauma of the political upheaval.
- __Vishwaroopam_ (2013) –

### Politics

In addition to his film career, Kamal Haasan ventured into politics. In 2018, he launched his political party, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), which translates to "People's Justice Centre."

## Personal life

Kamal Haasan has been married twice. His first marriage was to Vani Ganapathy, a classical dancer, in 1978. However, the couple divorced in 1988. Haasan later entered into a relationship with actress Sarika, and they have two daughters, Shruti Haasan and Akshara Haasan, both of whom are actresses in the Indian film industry.

## Awards and recognition

Kamal Haasan has been honored with numerous awards for his contributions to Indian cinema, including:
- Padma Bhushan (2014) – India’s third-highest civilian award.
- Padma Shri (1990) – India’s fourth-highest civilian award.
- Filmfare Award – Best Actor (Tamil) for films like _Nayakan_ and _Indian_.
- National Film Award – Best Actor for _Vishwaroopam_ (2013) and _Thevar Magan'' (1992).

His body of work in cinema, both as an actor and a director, has earned him national and international acclaim, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest cinematic talents in India.

## Filmography

|Year|Film|Role|Language|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1959|_Kalathur Kannamma_|Young Kalyani|Tamil|
|1987|_Nayakan_|Velu Naicker|Tamil|
|1992|_Thevar Magan_|Shaktivel|Tamil|
|2000|_Hey Ram_|Saket Ram|Tamil|
|2008|_Dasavathaaram_|Ten roles|Tamil|
|2013|_Vishwaroopam_|Wisam Ahmad Kashmiri|Tamil/Hindi|
|2018|_Vishwaroopam 2_|Wisam Ahmad Kashmiri|Tamil/Hindi|

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Kamal Haasan
- **alt**: Kamal Haasan
- **caption**: Kamal Haasan in 2020
- **birth name**: Kamal Haasan
- **birth date**: 7 November 1954
- **birth place**: Paramakudi, Tamil Nadu, India
- **nationality**: India, Indian
- **occupation**: Actor, Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Politician
- **years active**: 1959–present
- **spouse**: Vani Ganapathy (m. 1978; div. 1988)
- **children**: Shruti Haasan, Akshara Haasan
- **parents**: D. Srinivasan (father), Rajalakshmi (mother)
- **relatives**: Suhasini Maniratnam (sister-in-law), Nasser (brother-in-law)