“Indian 2 will be my last film,” announced veteran actor Kamal Hassan yesterday in an interview.
The actor and founder of Makkal Needhi Maiam will be focusing on his political career moving forward. “Makkal Needhi Maiam will field candidates in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Tamil Nadu. I will quit acting after the upcoming project Indian 2, the shooting of which is slated to start on December 14,” shared the actor.
Kamal Hassan was very open about his move into politics, he announced it earlier this year on Bigg Boss Tamil 2. A promotional video of the party was also played at the beginning of every Vishwaroopam II screening worldwide.
“But I will have my production company continuing in the field. Somebody else will run it,” assured the actor, who runs Raaj Kamal Films International. The company has produced Kamal’s movies since its inception in 1986. Nala Damayanthi and Magalir Mattum were the only two non Kamal movies under their banner.
The move may be unprecedented, but most fans saw it coming when the actor decided to step into the world of politics.
It is unclear if two of his other projects, Thevar Magan 2 and Sabaash Naidu will ever see the light of day. Thevar Magan was a cult classic released in 1992 in which the actor starred alongside the late Sivaji Ganesan. Rumours were abreast that Kamal will be working on the sequel of the film, to be released next year.
Sabaash Naidu is a spin off of Kamal’s Dasaavatharam character, Balram Naidu. Reportedly, 40% of the film has already been shot. At this point, there has been no mention if Kamal will complete the movie.
This move also gives the boot to Marudhanayagam, the long awaited high budget Indian historical drama produced and directed by Kamal.
Kamal Hassan began his career in films at the tender age of 6. It is hard to get the image of the orphaned boy praying to Lord Muruga out of any Tamil film fan’s head. He has been in the industry for 58 years. He is known to be one of the most versatile Tamil actors, with the ability to morph into the character he plays effortlessly, never once worrying about tainting his style.
Kamal Hassan gave the Tamil audience laughs with the timeless Michael Madana Kama Rajan, shivers with Sigappu Rojakkal and made us weep in Nayagan. And then he repeated it for the next generation with films like Pancha Thantiram, Vettaiyadu Vilayadu and Papanasam. His work has earned him plaudits the across the globe, almost 6 decades on.
While this may be the end of an era for the Ulaga Naayagan, it is certainly the beginning of a new chapter for Tamil Nadu.
