Tuesday, June 17, 2008

DASAVATHARAM – The Kamal Haasan’s Introspection


As a die-hard fan of the Versatile Actor Padmasree Dr. Kamal Haasan, I’ve been fortunate enough to watch his Magnum Opus – DASAVATHARAM twice; the preview show on the night before it got officially released and the matinee show on the day next. After having watched the movie twice, I wish to share the message, which I feel, would the Kamal have tried to convey through this movie. The ten roles being played by Kamal in this movie are:
A Vishnu Devotee.
A Bio-Tech Scientist.
An Ex-CIA Agent.
An Old Brahmin Lady.
An Investigative Officer.
A Punjabi Pop Singer.
The US President.
A Tall Muslim.
A Martial Arts Trainer.
A Christian Resident.I don’t wish to reveal the story and break the suspense, till everyone watches the movie. I would rather jot down my personal review on the movie. At the end of the movie, one can feel that Kamal has made an attempt to contemplate his own thoughts, beliefs and desires, portrayed through these ten roles which are no way related to one another. The story line is indeed a blend of “Science and Religion”, which is unseen before. It even has traces of Atheism and Communalism, for those are beliefs being stuck to, by Kamal always. If we look at it from science perspective, the movie depicts the invention of a dangerous bio-weapon which can even lead to the destruction of entire mankind. On the other hand, if we look at it from religion perspective, the movie depicts people belonging to different caste, the way they conduct themselves and the conflicts among communities, to certain extent. Though both of these continue over years, the movie theme throws light on the message that, a natural calamity like Tsunami only can put an end to all the evil deeds of humans; be it in the name of science or in the name of religion. And again the natural calamity is undeniably the violent protest of the Mother Nature as an answer to the ill effects of science and religion which may lead to self destruction. It indeed proves the existence of a super natural power named God, who has the ability to create and destroy lives. At the climax, one may feel as if Kamal questions the existence of God by making statements like, ‘If there is God, then millions would not have lost their lives in natural calamities like Tsunami.. Or at least the so called scientists should not have gained idea for inventing destructive equipments like bio-weapons..’! He also makes a diplomatic statement that, ‘I never said that there is no God.. All I feel is, it would have been good if there is God..’! The message of the movie is in fact a food for thought to the entire human community. Hats Off to Kamal for this brilliant story! The three things which differentiate Kamal from rest of the actors is his: perfection in the looks and getups, perfection in the gestures and mannerisms, perfection in the slang and dialogue delivery; whatever may be the role he plays. Time and Again he is proving himself to be the Legend Actor ever, across generations…!!!