Birth Date:07 November 1954
About Me
Kamal Haasan Biography: Life, Cinematic Genius, Iconic Filmography, and Unknown Facts!
Kamal Haasan, widely known by fans as Ulaganayagan (Universal Hero), is one of the most versatile, innovative, and decorated figures in Indian cinema history. Over a career spanning more than six decades, Kamal Haasan has reinvented himself as an actor, director, screenwriter, producer, playback singer, lyricist, trained dancer, and politician. Celebrated for pioneering technical advances in filmmaking and mastering complex prosthetics, he remains a titan across Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada film industries.
Profile Snapshot
Attribute Details
Full Name: Parthasarathy Srinivasan
Moniker: Ulaganayagan (Universal Hero)
Date of Birth: November 7, 1954
Birthplace: Paramakudi, Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu, India
Parents: D. Srinivasan (Lawyer & Freedom Fighter) & Rajalakshmi
Siblings: Charuhasan, Chandrahasan (Late), Nalini
Children: Shruti Haasan (Actress/Musician), Akshara Haasan (Actress)
Debut Film: Kalathur Kannamma (1960, Child Artist)
Production House Raaj Kamal Films International (RKFI)
Political Party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM)
Major Honors Padma Shri (1990), Padma Bhushan (2014), Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (France, 2016), 4 National Film Awards, 19 Filmfare Awards
Early Life & Child Prodigy Years
Born into a Tamil Brahmin family in Paramakudi on November 7, 1954, Kamal was the youngest child of D. Srinivasan and Rajalakshmi. His father encouraged his artistic pursuits early on.
In 1960, at just six years old, Kamal made his acting debut in the Tamil drama Kalathur Kannamma. His natural performance earned him the prestigious President's Gold Medal (Rashtrapati Award) for Best Child Artist.
Following a brief hiatus to focus on dance (training extensively in Bharatanatyam) and theater under the mentorship of T. K. Shanmugam, Kamal returned to the film industry in his late teens. He worked behind the scenes as an assistant choreographer, learning every technical nuance of filmmaking.
[1960: Debut as Child Artist in 'Kalathur Kannamma' (Rashtrapati Award)]
│
▼
[1973–1975: Breakthrough under K. Balachander ('Arangetram', 'Apoorva Raagangal')]
│
▼
[1980s: Pan-Indian Stardom ('Moondram Pirai', 'Nayakan', 'Pushpaka Vimana')]
│
▼
[1990s–2000s: Technical Masterpieces ('Indian', 'Hey Ram', 'Virumandi', 'Dasavathaaram')]
│
▼
[2020s–Present: Massive Blockbusters ('Vikram', 'Kalki 2898 AD')]
Career Trajectory: The Evolution of "Ulaganayagan"
1. The Mentorship of K. Balachander (1970s)
Kamal Haasan’s career turned legendary under the guidance of visionary auteur K. Balachander. Films like Apoorva Raagangal (1975), Manmatha Leelai (1976), and Avargal (1977) established him as a daring lead actor willing to tackle bold, unconventional themes. Simultaneously, he dominated Malayalam cinema during the mid-70s with hits like Kanyakumari (1974).
2. Pan-Indian Superstardom & Classic Cinema (1980s)
• Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981): Made a landmark debut in Hindi cinema, transforming into a massive nationwide phenomenon.
• Moondram Pirai (1982) / Sadma (1983): His tragic performance as Somu opposite Sridevi earned him his first National Film Award for Best Actor.
• Nayakan (1987): Directed by Mani Ratnam, Kamal portrayed Mumbai underworld don Velu Naicker. The iconic performance won him his second National Award, and the film was named in TIME Magazine’s list of "All-TIME 100 Best Movies."
• Pushpaka Vimana (1987): Headlined a dialogue-less silent dark comedy that won critical acclaim across India and internationally.
3. Technical Mastery, Prosthetics, & Directorial Genius (1990s–2000s)
In the 1990s, Kamal Haasan established Raaj Kamal Films International and became a pioneer in incorporating Western VFX and prosthetic makeup into Indian cinema:
• Appu Raja / Apoorva Sagodharargal (1989): Played a dwarf circus performer using innovative camera angles and physical trickery without modern CGI.
• Indian (1996): Played dual roles, including Senapathy, a 70-year-old freedom fighter-turned-vigilante, earning his third National Film Award for Best Actor.
• Hey Ram (2000) & Virumandi (2004): Written and directed by Kamal, these films set new technical benchmarks in non-linear screenwriting and realism.
• Dasavathaaram (2008): Set a global record by portraying 10 distinct roles in a single feature film using specialized prosthetics.
4. Box Office Resurgence & Modern Cinema
In 2022, Kamal delivered Lokesh Kanagaraj's high-octane action thriller Vikram (2022), breaking multiple pan-Indian box-office records. Continuing his streak in high-concept cinema, he took on the central antagonist role of Supreme Yaskin in the sci-fi epic Kalki 2898 AD (2024).
Landmark Filmography Highlights
Year Title Language Role / Character Key Awards / Milestones
1960 Kalathur Kannamma Tamil Selvam Won: Rashtrapati Award (Child Artist)
1975 Apoorva Raagangal Tamil Prasanna Breakout lead role
1977 16 Vayathinile Tamil Chappani Milestone raw drama
1981 Ek Duuje Ke Liye Hindi Vasudevan "Vasu" Blockbuster Bollywood debut
1982 Moondram Pirai Tamil R. Srinivas (Cheenu) Won: National Film Award Best Actor
1987 Nayakan Tamil Sakthivelu "Velu" Naicker Won: National Award; TIME 100 List
1987 Pushpaka Vimana Dialogue-free Unemployed Graduate Landmark silent comedy
1989 Apoorva Sagodharargal Tamil Appu / Raja / Inspector Icon dwarf prosthetic performance
1992 Thevar Magan Tamil Sakthivelu India's Official Academy Award Entry
1996 Indian Tamil Senapathy / Chandrabose Won: National Film Award Best Actor
1997 Chachi 420 Hindi Jaiprakash Paswan / Lakshmi Godbole Remake of Avvai Shanmughi
2000 Hey Ram Tamil / Hindi Saket Ram Director, Writer, Lead
2008 Dasavathaaram Tamil 10 Roles Portrayed 10 distinct characters
2013 Vishwaroopam Tamil / Hindi Wisam Ahmad Kashmiri Director, Writer, Lead
2022 Vikram Tamil Commander Vikram Historical box-office blockbuster
5 Interesting & Unknown Facts About Kamal Haasan
1. Record Oscar Submissions from India: Kamal Haasan holds the distinction of having the highest number of films submitted by India for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film (7 films, including Saagar, Nayakan, Thevar Magan, Kuruthipunal, Indian, Jeans, and Hey Ram).
2. First Indian Actor to Charge ₹1 Crore: In 1994, after the massive critical and commercial success of Thevar Magan and Mahanadhi, Kamal Haasan reportedly became the first actor in Indian cinema history to command a salary of ₹1 crore per film.
3. Pioneered DTS Sound & Live Sound in India: Always ahead of the curve technically, Kamal introduced DTS (Digital Theater Systems) surround sound to South Indian cinema with Kuruthipunal (1995) and pioneered sync-sound recording techniques in modern Tamil films.
4. Pledged His Body to Medical Research: Beyond cinema, Kamal Haasan converted his fan clubs into welfare organizations (Kamal Narpani Iyakkam). He became the first celebrity in India to officially pledge his organs and body to medical research upon his death.
5. Most Filmfare Awards Won: Kamal won 19 Filmfare Awards across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi cinema. In 2000, he officially wrote to the Filmfare committee requesting not to be nominated further, asking them to award younger upcoming talent instead.
Kamal Haasan's films' availability: You can watch Kamal Haasan's films on B4U Movies Channels of India, UK, USA, Canada, and UAE. You can check country-specific schedule pages here.
- B4U Movies India
- B4U Kadak India
- B4U Movies UK
- B4U Movies USA
- B4U Movies Canada
- B4U Plus UAE
