Kamal Haasan's awesome avatars
Playing double roles is nothing new for Kamal Haasan. But ten? Mind-boggling, isn't it?
But then this is one actor who doesn't shy away from a challenge, the latest being his ten avatars for his upcoming Tamil movie, Dasavathaaram.
Each role required enormous work and dedication, with make-up taking as much as four hours to apply every day. Kamal is rumoured to be playing US President George Bush, Balaraman, a Brahmin, an Afghan, a Lankan Tamil, an old lady, a doctor, a police officer, a Chinese and a Punjabi singer. Whew!
On this note, we take a look at some of the actor's memorable multiple acts.
Apoorva Sagodarargal (1989)
Much has been said and written about this classic movie directed by Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, starring Haasan in three dynamically different roles.
As the murdered father Sedhupathy he was properly aggressive, twirling his moustache with gusto. As the normal half of the twins, Raja, he was up to his usual antics. But it was his transformation as the slightly neurotic other half, Appu, that shocked everyone who saw him.
To pass off as a midget, Kamal had to walk on his knees, a torturous technique which involved getting his legs tied up behind his back.
Some facial expressions brought the character to life, one of them was baring his teeth a fraction more than normal.
Indrudu Chandrudu (1990)
Scripted by Kamal Haasan himself, this Telugu super-hit, Indrudu Chandrudu (the Tamil version was Indran Chandran) saw Kamal in two roles -- that of a corrupt mayor who is murdered and tossed into cold storage by his so-called allies, and a look-alike who escaped from a mental asylum, and is forced to take the dead mayor's place.
Again, while playing the part of the stand-in was easy for him, the mayor-role offered him plenty of scope to prove his acting prowess. As a pot-bellied rotund individual with a raspy voice, undeniably older looks and a brain that wandered from evil schemes to desperation, Kamal made the role work.
