Kamal Haasan is an Indian actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, playback singer, television presenter, social activist, and politician who works mainly in Tamil cinema. Besides Tamil, he has also appeared in some Malayalam, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Bengali films. He is one of the greatest actors in the history of Indian cinema. Haasan is also known for introducing many new technologies and cosmetics to the Indian film industry.
**Early life and career**
Kamal Haasan was born as Parthasarathy on 7 November 1954, in a Tamil Iyengar Brahmin family, to D. Srinivasan, who was a lawyer and freedom fighter, and Rajalakshmi, who was a housewife. Haasan was initially named as Parthasarathy. His father later changed his name to Kamal Haasan. His brothers, Charuhasan (born 1930) and Chandrahasan (born 1936), have also acted. Haasan's sister, Nalini (born 1946), is a classical dancer. He received his primary education in Paramakudi before moving to Madras (now Chennai) as his brothers pursued their higher education.
Haasan began his acting career at the age of eight, appearing in the Tamil film Kalathur Kannamma (1960). He made his breakthrough in 1972 with the film Apoorva Ragangal, for which he won his first National Film Award for Best Actor. In the following decades, Haasan went on to star in a number of critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, including Nayagan (1987), Indian (1996), and Vishwaroopam (2013).
Haasan is also a successful filmmaker, having directed over 20 films, including Hey Ram (2000), Vishwaroopam (2013), and Vishwaroopam II (2018). He is also a talented musician, having composed music for over 50 films.
**Awards and honors**
Haasan has won numerous awards for his work, including four National Film Awards, 19 Filmfare Awards South, and three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in India, in 2014.
**Social activism**
Haasan is a vocal social activist and has been involved in a number of causes, including human rights, environmental protection, and education. He is a member of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), a political party in Tamil Nadu.
**Political career**
Haasan announced his entry into politics in 2018 and founded the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), a political party in Tamil Nadu. He contested the 2019 Indian general election from the Coimbatore South constituency, but lost to the AIADMK candidate.
**Personal life**
Haasan has been married twice. His first marriage was to Vani Ganapathy in 1978, but they divorced in 1988. He has two children from his first marriage, Shruti Haasan and Akshara Haasan. His second marriage was to Sarika in 1988, but they divorced in 2004. He has two children from his second marriage, Gautham Haasan and Akshara Haasan.
**Legacy**
Kamal Haasan is one of the most respected and influential figures in Indian cinema. He is a versatile performer who has excelled in a variety of roles, from comedy to drama to action. He is also a talented filmmaker and musician. Haasan's work has had a profound impact on Indian cinema, and he is considered to be one of the greatest actors of all time.
