The two superstars of Tamil cinema — actors Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth — jointly unveiled their mentor K. Balachander’s bronze bust on the new office premises of Kamal Haasan’s Raj Kamal Films International in Chennai on Friday.
The duo also garlanded a portrait of writer and K. Balachander’s close collaborator, Ananthu, inside the office premises, which is a stone’s throw away from Kamal Haasan’s Eldams Road office, which has been turned into his party office since he started Makkal Needhi Maiam.
The event was attended by the actor’s close associates actors Nasser, Ramesh Arvind, Santhana Bharathi, filmmaker K. S. Ravikumar, Mani Ratnam and the family of the late K. Balachander. Lyricist Vairamuthu was also present.
The opening of the new office was a part of celebrating Kamal Haasan who completed 60 years in the film industry. He said that Raj Kamal Films International would continue to produce movies and introduce new talent to Tamil cinema.
“The bust of K. Balachander outside the office premises will keep reminding me that he will be monitoring my work through the RKFI. We will announce our 50th film soon with much fanfare. I may not act in it but it will be a mega film,” said Kamal Haasan.
The statue of the director weighs 60kg and is 23 inches tall, and was unveiled by all the film celebrities along with K. Balachander’s daughter Pushpa Kandaswamy and family.
Speaking on the occasion, Kamal said that he and Rajinikanth were fans of each other’s work.
Actor Rajinikanth, who spoke about how Kamal Haasan was moulded by writer Ananthu and was always the favourite of K. Balachander, fondly recalled: “K. Balachander told me to learn Tamil and said: “You see where I am going to take you.” He knew what Tamil people would like. But his favourite child was always Kamal! Ananthu sir [KB’s writer] and Kamal would keep talking for hours. He was the one who moulded him.”
Mutual admiration
Speaking about the iconic production house, Rajinikanth said, “ Aboorva Sagodharagal is my favourite film produced by Raj Kamal Films International. After watching it, I woke him up at 2.30 a.m. to congratulate him. Similarly, Thevar Magan is a classic. The message of that film is superb.”
The Petta star also listed one of his friend and contemporary’s films among his all-time favourites: “ Godfather , Thiruvilaiyadal and Hey Ram are my three go-to movies when I don’t have anything else to watch. I must have seen Hey Ram 30-40 times.”
Recalling how Rajinikanth and he decided on their paths several decades ago, Kamal Haasan said: “We chose different paths. If people overheard what we were talking about under the tamarind tree during Avargal , they would have thought we were being pompous. The friendship between us can never end.”
Kamal Haasan said that Rajinikanth and he are severe critics and admirers of each other.
