Best of Kamal Haasan films to watch

Kamal Haasan is an actor who can effortlessly slip into the skin of any character. He is also a man of many talents, having proved his skills as a director, screenwriter, choreographer and even as a makeup artist. His latest film Vikram, which has emerged as the highest-grossing film of his career, will be available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar from July 8th. So, in today’s episode of List hai toh hit hai, we recommend a few must-watch films of the Ulaga Nayagan.

Nayakan (Amazon Prime Video)

One of Indian cinema’s landmark films is the Mani Ratnam directorial Nayakan. Inspired by the life of Bombay’s underworld don Varadarajan Mudaliar, the film features Haasan in the role of Sakthivel Naicker, a common man who becomes a feared and revered figure among the slum-dwellers of Dharavi. The plot of the film also bears resemblance to Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather trilogy. From Haasan’s stellar acting, Ratnam’s masterclass direction, to Ilaiyaraaja’s exceptional score, and PC Sreeram’s grand cinematography, there are enough reasons to not miss this cult classic.

Indian (Voot)

The 1996 film Indian marked Haasan’s first collaboration with director Shankar. Hassan essays dual roles in the film that also stars Bollywood actresses Manisha Koirala and Urmila Matondkar. The film explores the rampant corruption and red-tapism in bureaucracy and their effects on the lives of common people. Indian was a blockbuster hit in Tamil as well as in Hindi, and A R Rahman’s music was an instant hit among the audiences. A sequel to the film is in the works and Haasan will reprise his role as Senapathy.

Sadma (MX Player)

Kamal Haasan and Sridevi are undeniably one of the best on-screen couples in Indian cinema. But out of all the movies that they have acted in together, the film that touches one deeply is the 1983 film Sadma, a remake of the Tamil film Moondram Pirai. Haasan plays a teacher who falls in love with a young woman who behaves like a child due to retrograde amnesia. Both Haasan and Sreedevi won plaudits for their heartbreaking performances in the film, and the song Surmayee Ankhiyon Mein continues to be a favorite among music lovers even today. Keep the tissue box close to you while watching this film, you’ll need it.

Apoorva Sagodharargal (Amazon Prime Video)

Widely considered as a path-breaking film for its time, Apoorva Sagodharargal revolved around twin brothers Raja, a mechanic, and Appu, a circus artist. What makes this film unique is Haasan’s portrayal of the dwarf man, Appu. The film which was considered too complicated to execute at that time was pulled off brilliantly, all thanks to cinematographer PC Sriram and editors B Lenin and VT Vijayan.

Pushpak (YouTube)

The silent film Pushpak is another masterpiece by Haasan. Written and directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao, the film is centered on an unemployed youth who takes on the identity of a rich businessman. Soon, he realizes that being rich is not as easy as it seems. The film is packed with dark humor and makes for a fun watch.

Ek Duuje Ke Liye (Amazon Prime Video, MX Player)

The 1981 film Ek Duuje Ke Liye made Haasan a star among the Hindi audiences. A remake of the Telugu film Maro Charitra, the film has Haasan romancing Rati Agnihotri. The film follows a Tamil man and a North Indian woman who fall in love with each other but face opposition from their families. The film was commercially successful and Laxmikant–Pyarelal’s music was widely appreciated, especially the track Tere Mere Beech Mein.

Michael Madana Kama Rajan (Amazon Prime Video)

Kamal Haasan and Crazy Mohan have produced some of the best comedy capers in Tamil cinema, one of them being Michael Madana Kama Rajan. The film has Haasan playing quadruplets. Michael is a thief, Madanagopal turns into a businessman, Kameshwaran becomes a cook, and Subramaniam Raju works as a firefighter. The stories of these four men intertwine at a certain point in the film and what ensues is a comedy of errors.

Mahanadi (Amazon Prime Video)

In Mahanadi, Haasan plays Krishnaswamy, a man who ends up in prison for a crime he did not commit. In many ways, Mahanadi is a reflection of the grim state of the society we live in. Most of the characters in the film are named after rivers such as Krishna, Yamuna, Narmada, Kaveri, and Thamirabarani, and the climax is sure to haunt you for days.

Anbe Sivam (Netflix)

Who is God? What is God? Sundar C’s Anbe Sivam asks these questions through the character of Nallasivam who believes God resides in all those who do good things. Haasan plays Nallasivam, a communist, who meets ad filmmaker Anbarasu when he gets stranded at the airport in Bhubaneshwar. Nallasivam’s positive attitude towards life, despite a scarred past, makes an impact on Anbarasu’s worldview. Although the film underperformed at the box office when it was released, it has gained cult status over the years.

Chachi 420 (YouTube)

A list of the must-watch films of Kamal Haasan is incomplete without the comedy film, Chachi 420. In the film, Haasan, who is known for his impeccable comic timing, dresses up as an elderly woman in order to spend time with his daughter following his divorce. The film, which is inspired by the English film Mrs. Doubtfire, also features Tabu, Amrish Puri, Om Puri, and Fatima Sana Shaikh.

Well thats the OTTplay List hai toh hit hai for today , until the next time it's your host Nikhil signing out.

Aaj kya dekhoge OTTplay se poocho

Written by Arya Harikumar