Kamal Haasan: I need training as well

'For some people it is food, for some it is music... For me, it is cinema.'

Kamal Haasan tells Radhika Rajamani what drives him.

Kamal Haasan is known for his creative pursuits in cinema, and doesn't shy away from trying something new.

His films are stylish, have interesting storylines with out-of-the-box ideas and superior technology.

Even after five and a half decades in cinema, the superstar is still raring to go.

This Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee was in Hyderabad to promote his upcoming Telugu film Chikati Rajyam -- the Tamil version is called Thoonga Vanam -- and it is a remake of the French film Sleepless Nights (Nuit Blanche).

'It is very stylish and the stunts are even better'

Kamal Haasan claims the bi-lingual is 'looking good'.

"The Tamil Thoonga Vanam is a Diwali release (November 10) while the Telugu movie will hit theatres on November 20. The delayed release in Telugu is for better theatres," Kamal says.

"Sleepless Nights is a good film. I wanted to remake it as it is a thriller and one feels the depth of the characters in the story," Kamal explains. "For Vishwanath's Sagara Sangamam, Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje was the inspiration. Chikati Rajyam is a noir film. It is very stylish and the stunts are even better. Sleepless Nights has been adapted to suit Indian sensibilities."

Kamal has written the screenplay and his assistant Rajesh M Selva is directing it.

'I need training as well'

"Balachander Sir gave us opportunities; we should give opportunities to others," Kamal says, referring to his mentor K Balachander, who gave him a break in the movies.

Kamal repeats Ghibran as the music director. "He is good and the songs are chartbusters," he explains.

"I am not just an actor in K Vishwanath's films or K Balachander's films. I am also an assistant there. K Balachander inspired many to become directors," he adds.

It 's a well-known fact that training is necessary to hone one's skills ad Kamal underlines the need for it. "Now we go to US for sound recording but in a few years, we will not need that. It will be made in India," he says, adding: "I need training as well. There is so much to learn. One needs to learn."

'We should package our films according to world standards'

Kamal is making a Telugu film after many years (most of his films are dubbed into Telugu).

"It was a request and after Uttama Villain, I said I would do a Telugu film," he explains.

His emphasis right now is on making quality films. "I am getting quality films made in four months," he says.

His next film, a bi-lingual in Tamil and Telugu, will feature Amala and Zarina Wahab. While Vishwararoopam 2 is complete, the CG work is going on. Kamal has indicated some hope of reviving his period film Marudanayagam.

"Hollywood should come to our awards. We make 1,000 films every year (in India). Hollywood will never exceed that. We should package our films according to world standards."

Kamal Haasan lives and breathes cinema. So passionate he is about it that when he is asked what drives him he says, "For some people it is food, for some it is music... For me, it is cinema."