Kamal Haasan’s in a tearing hurry

Kamal Haasan whizzed through Mumbai yesterday to promote his next project Dasavatharam (made in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu) in which he features in 10 different looks, each of which requires hours of painstaking make-up to make it to the record books.

Directed by K S Ravikumar, the film is slated for a May-end release. Penned by Haasan as well, it stars South actress Asin and Mallika Sherawat.

Despite back-to-back interviews and a flight to catch to Chennai, Haasan is as earnest about his answers as his approach to his roles…

You’ve spent more time in the make-up room
than facing the camera for the film?
It would take me at least four to five hours to get the make-up on for the various characters. Once the look was complete, I would have to can the scenes non-stop before the make-up would start wearing off. As a result, there was not a single moment to waste for anyone in the unit. In fact, if I had spent as many hours in the cockpit as I did applying the make-up, I would have learnt to fly!

The film has created enough buzz during its filming about the changes in cast (Vidya Balan, Shriya Saran), music (A R Rahman) as well as the logistics involved.
As the film’s dimensions are huge, it involves a lot of people over a period of time. There are so many aspects to it as we have shot the film in US, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand besides Chennai. In a huge project, there are many things at work before it takes final shape. The film is a full-on commercial fantasy moving back and forth in time from the 12th century to 2008.

How was it working with a temperamental actress like Mallika Sherawat?
Is she? I didn’t see this shade of her at all as there was no time for any such stuff we would be shooting continuously thanks to my elaborate get-ups.

Your elder daughter Shruti is following in your footsteps?
I only gave my daughters a name, and if they could have their way at that time they would have chosen them too. I did not even tell them what religion to follow. I have lived on my own terms, so I can’t impose anything on them. What careers they pursue are entirely their calling. The only thing I tell them is to take care of their health. I tell them to exercise and keep fit it is very important for everyone. And it is difficult for me to get Shruti even on her toes!

Are there any plans to make a film with her?
Why not, I’d love to do a film with her. My younger daughter Akshara is young; she is still in school. But at the moment, there are no such plans. My daughters live with me and when we are together, they talk about cinema. They make fun of me after seeing my old films; they really wonder about some of the stuff I’ve done. I have an extensive library with books on all subjects so we also read a lot. As Shruti is into music in a big way, we also talk about music.

Are you in touch with your ex-wife Sarika?
No, there is no contact between us.

Have you seen her much-acclaimed performance in Rahul Dholakia’s Parzania?
I have just seen bits of the film.

She’s doing Shoojit Sarkar’s film with Amitabh Bachchan?
I have heard about it.

There has been a lot of speculation on your relationship with Telugu actress Gautami?
I won’t say anything on this front; people can continue to say what they want.

Why aren’t you seen more often in B-Town?
There are offers but producers here tell me the project rolls in three months at such short notice I can’t do them as I have other commitments. At the moment, there is a film with Walt Disney Productions and Bharat Bala. I am also in the pre-production of my next venture that I will write, direct and act in.

Shaheen Parkar, Mid-Day