Kamal Hassan completes 50 years in Indian cinema
Versatile actor Kamal Haasan, who was today felicitated for his completion of 50 years in Indian cinema, feels the coming decade will be the best period of his career.
"I am not the one to languish about what has been done. I am looking forward to the next 10 years which I hope will be the best years of my career," the 55-year-old actor said after he was felicitated by Directorate of Film Festivals, which organised a three-day retrospective of his work.
The programme was inaugurated by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni at the Siri Fort auditorium here and the Padma Shri actor was the guest of honour. His partner actress Gautami and her daughter were also present.
"I thank the country and the government to have thought of the this amid the whole chaos. I have waited long for this and could have waited more. There are many talented people around and I am all the more grateful for the honour," Haasan said.
The retrospective came months after the 40th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa last November could not feature seven of Haasan's films due to technical reasons and the tight schedule.
But IFFI showed three films each of veteran actors Soumitra Chatterjee, Asha Parekh and Sharmila Tagore, who all completed 50 years in the film industry.
The retrospective began with the screening of the actor's "Hey Ram". This will be followed by "Anbe Ivam", "Virumaandy", "Thevar Magan", "Sagara Sangamam", "Dasavatharam" and "Nayagan".
Born on November 7, 1954, Hassan made his debut as a child artiste in 1959 in "Kalathoor Kannamma" which fetched him the best child artist award. He went on to work in about 200 films, bagging the National Award four times.
The actor has won a record 19 Filmfare Awards - ranging across five languages, and after his latest award in 2000, wrote to the organisation to exempt him from further awards.
Soni, who felicitated Haasan, branded him as "pan India phenomenon" and thanked him from flying all the way from Italy, where he is shooting for his upcoming film, to attend the function.
