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Kamal Hasan, K.S.Ravi Kumar met the press today at Taj Krishna. This is a success meet. The film is doing exceptionally well through out. A distributor from Ceded vouched for it during this meet and said that police are being called in to control the crowds. Kamal was in his usual spirits with his liners and answering the questions.
When asked about what made him come up with this novel idea of 10 characters, he responds that it is not his creativity. 'Even from Mahabharat times, there is this concept of Bahurupi. In Bharatanatyam, several characters are played by one performer. And my favorite star Sivaji Ganesan also did 9 roles in Navaratri. So it is not a new idea I came up with. It is the approach we took towards the film that made it different'.
Responding to a question on what is the connection between the Rangarajan (priest character) and rest of the characters, he says, 'What is the link with Sitaramaraju and you? Is there a link between myself and Gandhi or myself and Ashoka The Emperor? Yes. There is. And this is the same thing'.
Also answering another question, Kamal said that the simplest character of the film is Govind but it was physically very tiring because he is always running and doing risky stunts.
Responding to a question on if he had to find a mistake in the film what would it be, he responds, 'You are asking the magician to show the rabbit. I will never show you that'.
When asked on if he can go back and fix something about the film what would it be. He quickly says, he would not even think about it. 'If you put us on a time machine and send us back to the day one of the shoot, we will prefer to come back. We did not know what we were getting into when we started. We do not want to get into that again'.
What next after Dasavataram? Kamal is commited for a film titled Marmayogi..
How long did he need to sketch the characters? 'Balaram Nadar kind of characters cannot be etched out in an year or two. I have been seeing how Tamil people talk Telugu and how Telugu folks talk Tamil. So, it is like I have been living with these characters forever. During Hey Ram, some one asked me on how long did I do research on Gandhi. Attenborough (producer of Gandhi) should do research on Gandhi if he wanted to make a film. I dont have have to do the research. I grew up knowing Gandhi. He is part of our world. I have been reading about him and know him from my childhood. It is similar to that'.
'If you look at history, man kind is repeating mistakes. it is cycle of mistakes. Instead of reading History, man kind is preferring to repeat it again and again. This film presents some of it comprehensively. Every incident is connected. Some state change in Saudi Arabia will effect price oil price in India. Why? Similarly flattening of river beds will have an global effect. This is not just happening in India but every where', said Kamal Hasan responding to the signficance of Punyakoti character in the film.
So, did he try to say that God created Tsunami to save the state? He says, 'In the film, as Govind, I said no. But if you can take it that way if you want to'.
When asked about the criticism the film is facing, Kamal says, 'There is always other side to anything. But the collections the film is seeing should answer any of the criticism. I am not just saying this to promote the film. the film is seeing heavy collections. This is the biggest opening in my career ever. I thank the audience and the media for their support'.
About the song Lokanayakudu, in which the lyrics went overboard in praising Kamal: K.S.Ravikumar responds that it is in fact he who planned the song and not Kamal.
The best compliment he received so far was from his guru Balachander. Rajani Kanth, who watched the special screening along with Kamal in Chennai, complimented Kamal that he should have seen the film with the audience rather than seeing the film with Kamal in a special screening. 'Rajani is going to watch the film again', said Kamal.
