Kamal Haasan recalls how his market as child actor ended when he ‘lost first two teeth’

Actor Kamal Haasan has taken a trip down memory lane and recalled his days as a child actor. In a new interview, Kamal said that he was ‘like a trained parrot’ then. He also revealed that only when he lost his ‘first two teeth that my market as a child star ended’. The actor also said that he didn’t realise how lucky he was ‘to rub shoulders with MG Ramachandran, Shivaji (Ganesan)’ as a child actor. (Also Read | Kamal Haasan says ‘pan-India films’ like KGF and RRR are nothing new: ‘Mughal-e-Azam is a pan-India film’)

Kamal made his acting debut as a child artist with the Tamil film Kalathoor Kannamma (1960) and then starred in Parthal Pasi Theerum the same year. Two years later, he also featured in the Paadha Kaanikkai and Kannum Karalum (1962). With MG Ramachandran, Kamal worked in Anandha Jodhi. Kamal worked with Sivaji Ganesan in Parthal Pasi Theerum, Uruvangal Maralam, Thevar Magan, and Naam Pirandha Mann among others.

In an interview with India Today, Kamal said, “As a child actor I was like a trained parrot, I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t even know I was moving with such great stars. It was only when I lost my first two teeth that my market as a child star ended. And, I was no longer a child and was growing into a boy and then a man. So, those times I was an ordinary man and suddenly I realised how lucky I had been as a child artist to rub shoulders with MGR, Shivaji (Ganesan).”

He also spoke about the times when Hindi movies were filmed in Chennai, “I have seen Shammi Kapoor Saab, though I was only at that time a Tamil film actor. They used to make those films in Chennai as well at that time. Mohd Rafi Saab would be singing at AVM Studios (in Chennai). I have seen all that and I didn’t realise what kind of dream world I lived in. I longed for it and I went back as a technician. Because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be an actor at all.”

Kamal Haasan will be next seen in the upcoming movie Vikram. Billed as a high-octane action drama, Vikram also stars Vijay Sethupathi and Fahadh Faasil along with Kalidas Jayaram, Narain, Antony Varghese and Arjun Das in supporting roles. Suriya also has a cameo in the film. It will release in theatres worldwide on June 3.

ott:10