Vikram effect: Kamal Haasan open to work with new-age directors

The phenomenal success of the Tamil action film, Vikram‘, has made national award-winning actor Kamal Haasan open to working with new-age directors, something with which he was not very comfortable in the past. This is largely due to the fact that the actor, who is also an exceptional screenwriter and story writer, preferred to write his own scripts. In the 90s, in fact, he did not work with any big directors because he wanted to write his own scripts (along with Crazy Mohan at times) and act in them.

Of course, he made a few exceptions working with directors like Shankar (Indian), Saran (Vasool Raja MBBS), and Gautham Menon (Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu). Kamal Haasan also made multiple films with director KS Ravikumar.

Mostly, since he penned his own story, Kamal also took more time for each project but now, after the runaway success of Vikram, the veteran actor has changed his stance and is open to collaborating with a new generation of filmmakers and with proven veterans.

Shankar’s Indian 2, Mani Ratnam’s biggie, and Mahesh Narayanan’s film

Kamal is presently busy with the shoot of Indian 2 with South India’s showman Shankar. The director is working round the clock to wrap up the actor’s portions first so that he can start working on his other films.

Also read: Kollywood buzz: Kamal-Mani reunion, Rajini’s next, and Vijay’s biggie

Post Indian 2, Kamal is most likely to begin shooting for popular Malayalam filmmaker Mahesh Narayanan’s next (written by the actor himself) film. Buzz is that the film will be a sequel to Thevar Magan (1992).

After wrapping up these two movies, the actor will reunite with his good friend and India’s most celebrated filmmaker Mani Ratnam for a biggie (it will be the 232nd film of Kamal Haasan). Ratnam and Kamal delivered the timeless classic Nayagan in 1987. In the last thirty-five years, both of them were supposed to join hands for Ponniyin Selvan but that did not happen for various reasons.

Finally, the two most celebrated names on Indian celluloid have agreed to join hands again to work on a film to be jointly bankrolled by Udhayanidhi’s Red Giant Movies, Kamal Haasan’s Raaj Kamal Film International and Mani Ratnam’s Madras Talkies.

While Indian 2 is likely to hit the screens for Pongal 2024, Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan’s film will mostly release in October 2024. If all goes well, Kamal and Mahesh’s film would release in the summer of 2024.

The Pa Ranjith project

Meanwhile, acclaimed director Pa. Ranjith recently confirmed that after completing Vikram’s Thangalaan, he would be teaming up with Kamal Haasan for a biggie. Sources said that Ranjith has already pitched the idea to Haasan and the actor loved it. The filmmaker is now working on the script. But, as both of them are busy with their projects, we have to wait and see when exactly they are going to team up!

Also read: Kamal Haasan-Lokesh’s ‘Vikram’ opens doors to Marvel-like cinematic universe

Cameo in H Vinoth’s film?

Another buzz in the industry is that Kamal Haasan has agreed to play an extended cameo in H Vinoth’s (Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru, Valimai, and Thunivu) next. Sources said that Vijay Sethupathi would be playing the lead role in the thriller. An official announcement on this new film is expected after Vinoth’s Thunivu hits the screens for this Pongal.

A film with Vetrimaaran?

Though Kamal was interested to work with acclaimed, award-winning director Vetrimaaran (Asuran) and vice versa, the filmmaker has his hands full with films like Viduthalai and Vaadi Vaasal with Suriya. Vetrimaaran is also in talks with a few actors like Vijay so, a Kamal movie may just have to wait.

Vettaiyadu Vilayadu 2 in the offing?

Gautham Vasudev Menon, who delivered the blockbuster Vettaiyadu Vilayadu with Kamal, is also working on the script for the sequel. He also pitched the rough version of the script to Kamal and he is waiting for the actor’s approval. Vel’s Film International is ready to bankroll the biggie. Once Kamal gives a go-ahead, the project will go on floors.

Vikram 2 with Lokesh Kanagaraj 

Also, Kamal Haasan has signed up to do Vikram 2 with Lokesh Kanagaraj, the director who had given him the much-needed boost to his career. After wrapping up Vijay’s biggie, Lokesh has two choices, either to start Kaithi 2 with Karthi or Vikram 2 with Kamal Haasan. One has to see which will go on the floors first.

But, sources told The Federal that as Kamal is busy with multiple films, Lokesh may wrap up Kaithi 2 and then turn to start work on Vikram 2.

Also read: Vikram review: Fanboy Lokesh brings back Kamal Haasan of yore

Raaj Kamal Films International gets busy

Also, the trade is abuzz with how Kamal’s Raaj Kamal Films International(RKFI) is getting busy with its new association with Turmeric Media. Together, RKFI, Turmeric Media, and Sony India are producing a big film, featuring Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi in the lead. Rajkumar of Rangoon fame will be helming the film.

RKFI is also producing Mani Ratnam and Mahesh Narayanan’s films with Kamal, and Vikram 2. The production house also has plans to bankroll many big and medium-budget films in the coming days.