Kamal Haasan, considered by many as the most complete actor in Indian cinema, turns 54 today. Kamal’s quest for experimentation is legendary. The original serial kisser of Indian cinema, Kamal has the unique ability to reinvent himself in tune with the changing times.

The ‘Ulaga Nayakan’ (Universal Hero) phenomenon is best summed up by Kamal himself. Kamal Haasan has asked his fans to refrain from celebrating his birthday on November seven, as he was “deeply hurt by the killing of Tamils in Sri Lanka”.

In a statement in Chennai, Kamalhassan said “I beseech my fans to refrain from celebrations.  An individual’s birthday loses credence or importance when genocide is practiced in our neighbouring island with renewed vigour”, he said.

‘Language, colour, creed and caste can no more be used as excuses for intolerance’, he said.

He is the only actor, other than Mammootty, to have received three National Awards for the Best Actor. He has also received a National Award for the Best Child Artist. In addition to acting and directing, he is a screenwriter, lyricist, playback singer and choreographer. His film production company, Rajkamal International, has produced several of his films.

Kamal Haasan’s breakthrough into lead acting came with his role in the 1975 drama, Apoorva Raagangal, in which he played a rebellious youth in love with an older woman. He secured his first Indian National Film Award for his portrayal of a guileless school teacher who tends a child-like amnesiac in 1982’s Moondram Pirai. He was particularly noted for his performance in Mani Ratnam’s Godfatheresque Nayagan (1987), which was ranked by Time magazine as one of the 100 best films of all-time.

Indeed his passion took him places; from an actor, Kamal graduated to become a producer, a scenarist and a director. Today, he is the mover and shaker behind Rajalakshmi Movies. His original themes are born of his studious research, exchanges and intense reading. His collaborations with other directors and writers prove to be a fitting extension of his own creative thoughts and pursuits. Kamal is known to differ and to defy every single opinion in the process of filmmaking, and then come out with nothing but the best and most innovative. Films like Hey Raam, Aalavandhan and Dasavathaaram bear a fitting testimony to his urge for diversity and are trend-setters in their own right.

Despite his much praised and applauded film career, his personal life had some setbacks which have been exploited by the media. His marital strifes were more in the limelight in his latter years than the movies he acted or made. He has married actresses: Vani Ganapathi first and later Sarika which bore two children: Akshara Haasan and Shruthi Haasan. He divorced her and currently in co-living with Gauthami another famous Indian film actress of yester years.

Although he was in an extra marital affair with actress Simran Bagga for some time it is unclear who inititated the divorce with his wife Sarika. The media once again had targeted this affair often creating their own fabrications of the events that proceeded.