Quentin Tarantino once said, "If you truly love cinema with all your heart and enough passion, you can't help yourself but make a good movie." If you are someone who has a profound love for cinema but don't know how to pursue it, then this blog is for you.
See, the beauty of filmmaking is that you don't have to attend film school or read books on screenplay. Everything you need to know about filmmaking can be learned by watching films. Now you may wonder, where should I start?
Frankly speaking, there is no exact answer to that query simply because each movie is a gem of its own and has its own value. But recently, I have come to acknowledge that the best place to start the journey is by watching Kamal Haasan's filmography.
You may feel that Kamal Haasan has acted in 230 films and it’d take an entire lifetime to watch all of them. True—but just for you, I have picked my favourite films of his and given a reason why each one is more than a filmmaking course. Try your best to watch all of them.
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1. Anbe Sivam (2003)
'Anbe Sivam', written by Kamal sir and directed by Sundar, is my all-time favourite in Kamal sir's filmography because it's so soul-stirring and empathetic. The story starts with Nalla, an "ugly"-looking man who accompanies a fellow passenger, Aras, on his journey. Along the way, they explore various aspects of life. Anbe Sivam is so philosophical that we gain a profound understanding of beauty, God, kindness, and fate. This film is so refreshing that anyone who watches it can't help but fall in love with it. Definitely worth watching if you're a fan of the feel-good genre.
Available on Prime Video and YouTube.
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2. Hey Ram (2000)
Starring Kamal Haasan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Rani Mukerji, 'Hey Ram' is written and directed by Kamal Haasan. This film is set during the period of pre- and post-partition. It vividly depicts the influence of partition on the lives of countless Indians and the numerous crimes committed in the name of communal violence. Hey Ram is way ahead of its time.
The story begins with Saketh Ram, an archaeologist who, after becoming a victim of the Bengal violence, is somehow convinced that Gandhiji is responsible for the bloodshed. This transforms him into an assassin on a mission to kill Mahatma Gandhi. The film follows his journey. It's one of the best movies about partition.
You can watch it on Prime Video, JioCinema, Hotstar, and YouTube for free.
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3. Mahanadhi (1994)
'Mahanadhi', written by Kamal Haasan and directed by Santhana Bharathi, is one of the most emotionally scarring movies ever made in Indian cinema. Krishnaswamy, an honest man conned by a fraud, loses his money in chit funds and is sent to jail. He and his family suffer countless hardships during his time away. After returning from jail, Krishna realizes that he has suffered a great loss, which fills him with such contempt that he decides to seek revenge. Kamal sir has lifted this movie with his exceptional acting. It's an underrated gem even today.
Available on YouTube.
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4. Swathi Muthyam (1986)
'Swathi Muthyam' is one of the most prominent films of the 80s. Directed by K. Vishwanath sir, it has managed to stay in the hearts of the audience for decades—and I believe that's the beauty of cinema: only art can stand the test of time.
The film revolves around Sivayya, an innocent person with autism, who remarries a widow and faces a lot of criticism from society, yet remains resilient. The plot itself was so ahead of its time that it reached a wide audience and was praised by critics. We still use this movie as a pop culture reference.
Available on Prime Video and Aha.
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5. Uttama Villain (2015)
'Uttama Villain', written by Kamal Haasan and directed by Ramesh Arvind, is one of the finest pieces of art ever made in cinema. This movie stars Kamal Haasan along with the legendary director K. Balachander. Uttama Villain tells the story of Manoranjan, a famous actor who is suddenly diagnosed with a brain tumour and has very little time left to set his affairs in order. As a last wish, he wants to make a movie with his guru, and the filmmaking journey is so hilarious and worthwhile that along the way, he rediscovers himself.
This movie is one of the most underrated films of Kamal sir’s career. Comedy, tragedy, romance, drama, art—the movie has it all.
Available on Zee5 for free.
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These are some of the best movies of Kamal Haasan, but there are plenty of others reserved for another blog. I haven’t written about famous movies like Dasavatharam, Kalki 2898 AD, Vikram, Indian, etc., because I assume almost everyone has already watched them. So I felt no point in writing about them here. But I also loved those movies—they are great cinema too, just like the ones I mentioned.
By now, you might have realized that most of the movies I listed were written or directed by Kamal sir. That's the beauty of him—he's an artist, a performer, and most of all, a mastermind in filmmaking. Never forget that his experiments in filmmaking paved the way for many budding writers, directors, actors, and film technicians.
So why wait? Hop on the Kamal train and start your filmmaking course!
