Kamal Haasan’s Interview

On the eve of the audio release of Unnai Pol Oruvan Kamal Haasan interacted with the media.

What changes have you made for this film?
In America there is only one culture. If you go to any State in America you can see the same culture. But in India it varies from one State to another State. But terrorism is there in every side. We have conveniently forgotten this. I have changed the dialogues in this film.

But there were vulgar dialogues in the original film?
I don’t understand this. Tell me what is vulgar. A writer has freedom but whereas a film person does not have freedom. Cinema is a species which is catching our foot hold. What freedom does it have? Our Censor Act came into force in 1957. I was three years old then. Now so many changes have come in the cinema. Film technology is also advancing. But what changes has been made in the Censor rules. There are so many matters in our Tamil literatures like Virali Vidum Thothu and Thanjai Vaanan Kovai. I have no freedom to speak about all these in cinema. We have to change the Censor rules and regulations.

In Tamil films there will be romance and action. But this film does not have these elements?
I have tried to do something different in this film. I was the one who made a film without dialogues. I have tried one step ahead in this film. Even if you take my film Nayagan, the romantic portion was very less. When you try something different you have to change certain things. There are stunt scenes in this film. But it will be pragmatic.

You have used Red One camera in this film?
Yes. The future is digital. Whenever a new thing happens I want to take it to the people. I want to simplify cinema. You should not sideline or get scared of new technology. It is good that everyone should walk towards it.

What about your daughter Shruthi?
She has composed the music for this film. I did not give her 90% of the freedom which was given to me when I was young. Now I am proud about the way she has come up. When I told her that she has to compose music for this film, she came up with 2 songs that evening itself. I asked her when we can start the recording, she said right now. I asked her who is going to sing, she said that she had already decided that it was me. She has done a wonderful job for this film.

What about you being in cinema for 50 years?
Even if I did very few films in 50 years or didn’t do any films at all, it would have been 50 years since I came into films. So the credit of my 50 years in cinema should go to my producers, director and above all people who accepted me as an actor.
Are you going to do a historical film with Mysskin?
Don’t say historical film. Some historians may come up and ask this has happened only on Friday and why it has been mentioned as Saturday. I am acting in a story which happened in history. Mysskin has requested some time to prepare the script.