Happy Birthday Kamal Haasan: His comeback that nobody noticed coming

Back in 2018, if somebody had stated that Kamal Haasan would ship a blockbuster that will break all of the field workplace information of the likes of Vijay and Ajith, folks would have laughed. Because it was the yr when the multifaceted actor introduced his political debut with Makkal Needhi Maiam. Many like me felt that it introduced an finish of types to a prolific and unparalleled profession. It felt like a loss. Looking again, it’s all humorous. Here’s Kamal Haasan in 2022, celebrating his 68th birthday with the business’s largest hit — scratch it, one in every of India’s largest hits ever, Vikram.

Many criticised Kamal for taking on politics as he ran out of luck in cinema, which was backed by his constant field workplace failures. The actor-filmmaker didn’t have a success after Vishwaroopam in 2013. After the controversial field workplace hit, Kamal let 2014 go with out a launch. He compensated for the dry yr with three releases– Uttama Villain, Paapanasam, and Thoongavanam– in 2015, the yr which additionally marked the start of his tough patch.

Uttama Villain is a type of movies from Kamal which might turn into a success lengthy after its launch, becoming a member of the likes of Hey Ram, Guna, Kuruthi Punal, and Anbe Sivam. Recently, there was a particular present of Anbe Sivam in Chennai, which noticed a very good footfall that the movie didn’t have when it was first launched in 2003. A fan, who had seen the movie 13 occasions, quipped, “This phenomenon is not new to us. The film was called a snoozefest when it was released. Now, did you notice nobody took out the mobile during the screening? This keeps happening to him (Kamal). I happened with Hey Ram, now with Anbe Sivam.”

On the opposite hand, One may argue Papanasam was a success. Jeethu Joseph helmed Kamal Haasan within the Tamil model of Drishayam, which was a hit on the field workplace. Yet, the success of Papanasam (2015) didn’t matter. One, it was a remake, and two, it was seen extra as a staying-afloat try relatively than a comeback of a famous person. Eventually, 2015’s Diwali launch, Thoongavanam, and its field workplace debacle introduced that there was certainly an issue with the graph of Kamal. It was adopted up by Vishwaroopam 2 –a movie that seemed just like the stays of an deserted constructing — in 2018, which sealed the deal. Naturally, when Kamal introduced his political entry the identical yr, the criticism that he’s leaping ship held water.

Meanwhile, Kamal Haasan additionally moved on to the small display screen with Bigg Boss Tamil, which was termed as a step down for the star (however the transfer turned out to be a significant issue within the success of Vikram as he stayed related regardless of not having a launch for 4 years). Then got here Vikram.

When it was stated that Lokesh Kanagaraj was teaming up with Kamal Haasan for a movie, although it piqued curiosity, there was additionally a way of cynicism about whether or not the director can have free reign in calling the pictures or wouldn’t it turn into a type of movies that had been ghost-directed by the actor himself. But when the movie got here out, all such debates had been put to relaxation.

One additionally has to notice that Vikram just isn’t a type of movies which had been deemed a blockbuster on the very first day. It took time to know the phenomenon it was turning out to be. The movie continued its dream run even after its OTT debut, which was unprecedented in Tamil cinema. It has earned greater than Rs 420 crore, and the movie is at present one of many high 5 all-time field workplace hits in Tamil cinema. Kamal Haasan rose once more. It was like Kamal repeating his dialogue from Vettaiyaadu Villaiyaadu, “Chinna pasagnala, yaartada vilaiyaadreenga (Little kiddos, who do you think you are playing with)?”