Ten faces, one film - Kamal Haasan’s jaw-dropping ‘Dasavathaaram’ was more than a star turn; it was a bold, eccentric whirlwind that still gets cinephiles
talking years later.
You know how some folks say they wear many hats? Kamal Haasan, legend that he is, tossed on every hat in his closet and then borrowed a few from the neighbors when he made ‘Dasavathaaram’ back in 2008. It wasn’t just a film; it was a full circus tent of identities. From a zealous 12th-century Vaishnavite priest (he gets dropped, statue and all, into the sea for defying a king) to a sharp-tongued Telugu cop to an exacting old woman, Haasan played each role like he’d been living that life for years. Throw in a Punjabi pop star with throat cancer, a hulk-sized Muslim bodyguard, and even the then-sitting U.S. President George W. Bush.
Kamal Haasan’s 10 Avatars in 'Dasavathaaram’
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Wait, am I forgetting the Japanese martial arts master or the menacing American mercenary (with a jaw like the Terminator)? Oh, he did them too. Ten roles. Ten wildly different souls. Some critics shrugged, but most of us just stared.
Chaos Theory Dressed as Cinema
Dasavathaaram' draws on themes of Chaos Theory and the Butterfly Effect
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Here’s what gets me (and half the film students down Marina Beach): ‘Dasavathaaram’ isn’t just about Kamal showing off. Not really. The movie takes on some pretty chewy stuff - chaos theory, determinism, and the butterfly effect. The idea that the smallest nudge (a misplaced vial of bioweapon, a wrong turn in Chidambaram’s crowded lanes) can ripple all the way into tsunamis and world-shaking events. It’s like someone crossed an Indiana Jones chase with a philosophical symposium, layered with Tamil masala flavor.
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Do all ten avatars matter to the plot? Oddly, yes. The old woman’s forgetfulness, the pop singer’s operation, even Bush’s brief, bitingly satirical cameo - every turn shifts the narrative track. Mythology, karma, God - there’s a lot on this plate. Sometimes you wonder if Haasan just wanted to see how many prosthetics he could get through customs, but the fact is, the film’s structure tangles those threads together with genuine skill (although it’s not always, let’s admit, subtle).
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How Did They Even Pull It Off?
Apparently, the whole project nearly busted its seams during production. Directors fled. Budgets ballooned. Haasan, meanwhile, wrote the script and worked with Ravikumar, a director who actually had the nerve to say yes when others balked. The production ran for three long years with Michael Westmore overseeing the makeup and Himesh Reshammiya as the music director.
Kamal Haasan with Michael Westmore and McKenzie Westmore.
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The audio launch was held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai. And did you know, Jackie Chan was present as a special Hollywood guest ambassador for the function? Honestly, that’s just a fun fact to toss in when conversations run dry at family parties.
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— KamalHaasan - KamalismForever (@KamalismForever) August 11, 2019
Kamal Haasan and Jackie Chan pic.twitter.com/eArEgiPlcw
Kamal Haasan with Jackie Chan at the audio launch event for 'Dasavathaaram.’
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Why did it matter? Why should anyone remember this movie on Kamal Haasan’s milestone birthday? Because, love it or scoff, ‘Dasavathaaram’ remains the only time an Indian actor successfully shouldered a true decathlon of major roles - each distinct, each deeply odd in its own way. Sivaji Ganesan once held the record with nine; Haasan cranked it up to eleven (well, ten, but you get the drift).
Kamal Haasan's 10 different avatars in 'Dasavathaaram’
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It’s messy brilliance. It’s no smooth, Bollywood-perfect package, but like the tides and chaos theory it so gleefully invokes, it changed what was possible on the subcontinent’s big screen. A wild experiment, sure. But in an industry allergic to risk? That’s something to cheer for!
Wishing a very Happy Birthday to you, Kamal Haasan!
