KUALA LUMPUR – Indian film superstar Kamal Haasan, who goes by the iconic title “Ulaganayagan” (Universal Hero), met Malaysian fans yesterday in the city centre and expressed his gratitude for their unwavering support.
The 70-year-old, who was in Malaysia to promote the highly anticipated film Indian 2 directed by S. Shankar, the sequel to his 1996 blockbuster Indian, said his fans’ enthusiasm provided him with the essential motivation and platform to thrive and succeed.
Thousands of fans gathered as early as 4pm at NU Sentral to catch a glimpse of the actor during a fan-meet session promoting the film.
Speaking to the audience, Haasan said the biggest challenge of making the second and third instalments of the film after a 28-year gap was the responsibility to satisfy both millennial and Gen Z audiences.
“The challenge lies in meeting a new generation that doesn’t necessarily hold the same reverence for the film or its characters as previous generations did. I must now explain and guide them to appreciate the character (Senapathy) I portray in the film.”
“I can’t expect the current generation of the audience to ask: ‘Why is he doing martial arts?’ They should intuitively grasp his character without relying on insights from previous generations, but still captivate them afresh, despite their familiarity,” he added.
Haasan also said that the challenge of making the storyline resonate after nearly three decades was shared not only by himself but also by the film’s director, Shankar, and the dialogue and screenplay writers.
While the film promotion focused on the second part, he also expressed personal anticipation for the third instalment, scheduled for release in January 2025.
He also promised Malaysian fans that he would return by the end of the year to make an announcement regarding the third part, contingent upon the success of Indian 2 in Malaysia.
Haasan ended his speech by greeting Malaysia with “Vanakkam from Indian.”
Among the other cast members present were Siddharth, along with S.J. Suryah, who portrays the antagonist in the film.
The film, distributed by 3 Dot Movies, a Singapore-based film distributor, will be screened at 154 theatres across the country.
The makers of Indian 2 released the much-awaited trailer for the film on Tuesday. The trailer sheds light on the injustice plaguing common folk in India and how it brings about the return of the “Indian” from his long hiatus.
The two-and-a-half-minute clip then shows different avatars of the hero, who calls the movement the “second struggle for independence”.
Produced by Lyca Productions along with Red Giant Movies, Indian 2 has Haasan reprising the iconic character Senapathy, a freedom fighter who turns vigilante to fight corruption.
The film also stars Rakul Preet Singh, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Vivek, Kajal Agarwal, Bobby Simha, Brahmanandam, Samuthirakani, Nedumudi Venu, Delhi Ganesh, Manobala, Jagan, Kalidas Jayaram and Gulshan Grover.
The film is scored by Anirudh Ravichander.
In a Facebook post yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also shared that he had met with Haasan.
“During breaks from official duties, I had the opportunity to spend time with the well-known Indian artiste and superstar, Kamal Haasan.
“We had about 30 minutes to talk and exchange views on the film industry, including our stance against corruption,” Anwar said. – June 29, 2024