Dasavatharam - The 10 Avatars
In Hindu mythology, Dasavatharam is the story of Vishnu taking 10 forms through the ages to rid the world of the prevailing asuras of that time.
Now, Dasavatharam has come to a mean a world-record of sorts. One of all-time Tamil cinemas best actors Kamal Hassan has started out on movie with this name where he will star in not 1 (as in most of his movies), not 2 (as in Apoorva Sahodarargal a.k.a Appu-Raja in Hindi), not 4 (as in Michael Madana Kamarajan (MMKR)), but in 10 different roles. One of the 10 characters is even going to take his Avai Shanmughi (Hindi: Chachi 420) role to the next level by playing a full-time lady character.
If there is anyone who can pull off something like this, its gotta be Kamal who has throughout his career already showcased some of the most versatile roles Indian cinema has seen. Dwarf in Apoorva Sahodarargal; 4 completely different characters in MMKR - including a 'Palakkad' tamilian (Palakkad is a place in Kerala on the Tamil Nadu border, and the tamil from there has a lot of Mallu thrown in); an extremely real-like old man - one of the roles in his double-roled Indian; a mentally unstable, 'Sri Lankan' tamil speaking Tenali (and as any tamilian will tell you Sri Lankan tamil is quite different from the Indian tamil); a pyschotic in Guna; a GodFather-like character in one of my all-time favs Nayagan; the philosophical, disfigured character of Nallasivan in Anbe Sivam; the grand mother-like character of Avai Shanmugi (in a remake of Mrs. Doubtfire). The list really can go on and on. And I haven't even gone into his older movies simply because I haven't seen anything older than these. Talks with seasoned Kamal followers will inevitably bring up movies like Punnagai Mannan, Oru Kaidhiyen Diary, Sigappu Rojakkal. And in virtually every movie I have named thus far, Kamal has played a completely unique role. Thats the greatness of the man, and I am forced to say, Bollywood, or even Hollywood for that matter, is probably yet to see a more versatile actor.
Dasavatharam will be yet another milestone in a career that has already spanned 40 years.
Oh, and by the way. If the 10-roles weren't enough to drag you to the theatre, perhaps Mallika Sherwat in a negative role would be...
Music is by Bollywood's current in-thing - Himesh Reshmiya.
Now, Dasavatharam has come to a mean a world-record of sorts. One of all-time Tamil cinemas best actors Kamal Hassan has started out on movie with this name where he will star in not 1 (as in most of his movies), not 2 (as in Apoorva Sahodarargal a.k.a Appu-Raja in Hindi), not 4 (as in Michael Madana Kamarajan (MMKR)), but in 10 different roles. One of the 10 characters is even going to take his Avai Shanmughi (Hindi: Chachi 420) role to the next level by playing a full-time lady character.
If there is anyone who can pull off something like this, its gotta be Kamal who has throughout his career already showcased some of the most versatile roles Indian cinema has seen. Dwarf in Apoorva Sahodarargal; 4 completely different characters in MMKR - including a 'Palakkad' tamilian (Palakkad is a place in Kerala on the Tamil Nadu border, and the tamil from there has a lot of Mallu thrown in); an extremely real-like old man - one of the roles in his double-roled Indian; a mentally unstable, 'Sri Lankan' tamil speaking Tenali (and as any tamilian will tell you Sri Lankan tamil is quite different from the Indian tamil); a pyschotic in Guna; a GodFather-like character in one of my all-time favs Nayagan; the philosophical, disfigured character of Nallasivan in Anbe Sivam; the grand mother-like character of Avai Shanmugi (in a remake of Mrs. Doubtfire). The list really can go on and on. And I haven't even gone into his older movies simply because I haven't seen anything older than these. Talks with seasoned Kamal followers will inevitably bring up movies like Punnagai Mannan, Oru Kaidhiyen Diary, Sigappu Rojakkal. And in virtually every movie I have named thus far, Kamal has played a completely unique role. Thats the greatness of the man, and I am forced to say, Bollywood, or even Hollywood for that matter, is probably yet to see a more versatile actor.Dasavatharam will be yet another milestone in a career that has already spanned 40 years.
Oh, and by the way. If the 10-roles weren't enough to drag you to the theatre, perhaps Mallika Sherwat in a negative role would be...
Music is by Bollywood's current in-thing - Himesh Reshmiya.
posted by Aye Kay at 2:28 PM
