A legend in his own life time, Kamal Haasan will be honoured by the Kerala government on his completing 50 years in cinema during the inauguration of the Onam week celebrations on August 22, according to official sources.
The felicitation even is going to be a gala event with contribution from all the film bodies. Film Exhibitors Association, Film Exhibitors Federation, State Film Producers Association, Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) and Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce have officially assured their support yesterday.
The high light of the event is going to be a two—hour cultural programme showcasing the versatility of the great actor directed by noted Malayalam director TK Rajeev Kumar.
Eminent directors and film personalities from many languages are expected to attend the event. Among them will be KS Sethumadhavan who introduced Kamal to Malayalam with his film ‘Kannum Karalum’ and K Balachander who fostered him in Tamil.
Kamal Haasan has a special bonding with the Kerala audience right from his determining years as an actor. Even now Kerala is a sure fire box office market for his films.
Kamal Haasan’s Malayalam career began with the 1961 film ‘Kannum Karalum’ in which he played the son of Sathyan. Later in his initial struggle to stardom it was Malayalam films that gave him ample opportunities to prove he is a legend material. His first of the innumerable Filmfare awards came through the Malayalam film Kanyakumari in 1974. Later with films like Ponni, Yeeta, Kamal became a star even in Malayalam. He got a best Malayalam actor award for Yeeta also.
Even after becoming a super star Kamal Haasan continued his rendezvous with Malayalam by doing film occasionally to be in touch. His last full fledged Malayalam film was Chanakyan in 1989. Chanakyan was a social revenge drama that also featured actors like Urmila Matondkar, Jayaram and Thilakan. Urmila Matondkar did her first adult role playing the heroine to Kamal Haasan.
Now after 20 years Kamal will be seen in a straight Malayalam film ‘Four Friends’ directed by Saji Surendran. Kamal Haasan plays a cameo as himself in the film that has his best friend Jayaram in the main role. Kunchakko Boban, Jayasuriya and Meera Jasmine will be in other major characters.