2.0 lesser-known fact: Not Akshay Kumar, Kamal Haasan was first choice for Pakshirajan in Rajinikanth starrer

Renowned novelist and screenwriter B. Jeyamohan has revealed that the villainous role of Pakshirajan in the blockbuster movie 2.0 was originally intended for superstar Kamal Haasan. However, Kamal declined the role, and it ultimately went to Bollywood star Akshay Kumar, who played the part with great aplomb.

In a recent interview, Jeyamohan was asked about the moral ambiguity of the movie. While Pakshirajan sets out to commit mass murder, there is a noble cause that's powering his murderous rage. While the audience can see the insanity in Pakshirajan's actions against the human race, they can also understand why he's doing that. And that has put the audience in a tricky situation as they were not sure about rooting for the death of Pakshirajan. 

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"This question would have been valid if the movie had not worked commercially. But, till today, no other Tamil movie has broken the collection record of 2.0. The two movies that came close to doing that were Vikram and Ponniyin Selvan: I. If Ponniyin Selvan: II breaks that record I would be happy." Jeyamohan told Behindwoods. 

Jeyamohan has also co-written the big-screen adaptation of iconic writer Kalki's Tamil classic Ponniyin Selvan. 

"2.0 ran in the south for Rajinikanth and in the north for Akshay Kumar. That film wouldn't have worked in the north, if it showed Akshay as a very dark character. So it's important who he is? In a commercial film, not just the story, but the characterization is also important," Jeyamohan added. 

And Jeyamohan also revealed a lesser-known fact about 2.0. "Pakshirajan was originally written for Kamal Haasan. If you observe you would know, it's a Kamal character. But, he didn't act. He didn't like to play that role. We wrote hoping he might act in it. At that time Akshay was a big star and it was because of his star power that the film ran so successfully in the north. If you ask the audiences there today, they will say Akshay is the hero of the movie," he explained. 

Pakshirajan, who is an ornithologist and professor, is the primary antagonist in the science fiction thriller. Helmed by S. Shankar, it was a sequel to the 2010 blockbuster Enthiran. The movie was released in 2018 and went on to become one of the highest-grossing films in Indian cinema history.

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The character of Pakshirajan is a unique one in the world of Indian cinema as he is not a typical villain. He is a highly educated and intelligent individual, who turns to villainy due to his love for birds and the environment. His character is a reflection of the delicate balance between nature and human progress, and he believes that humans are destroying the environment and causing the extinction of several bird species.

The fact that the role of Pakshirajan was initially intended for Kamal adds an interesting layer to the film's behind-the-scenes drama. It is intriguing to imagine how Kamal would have played the part of Pakshirajan. However, Akshay's portrayal of the character was widely praised and is now considered one of the actor's best performances.