One of the most influential figures of Indian cinema, Kamal Haasan has featured in Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada and even Bengali films throughout a career that spans five decades. But his gigantic onscreen presence sometimes overshadows his reputation as a filmmaker who has moved across different genres without a hiccup.

On Kamal’s 68th birthday, we pick four of his films where he donned the director’s hat and showcased his acting talent in tandem.

Vishwaroopam (2013)

In this Hollywood-style spy action thriller, Kamal plays an undercover RAW agent who disguises himself as a Kathak dancer in New York. Being suspicious of his behaviour, his wife hires a private investigator. The film also starred Rahil Bose, Shekhar Kapur, Pooja Kumar, Andrea Jeremiah and Jaideep Ahlawat in prominent roles. Kamal is the undisputed star of the film and never hesitates to milk his stardom to the full effect.

Virumandii (2004)

The movie revolves around the interviews of two prison inmates by a human rights activist, who is pursuing PhD in law. Virumandi is awaiting his death sentence for his involvement in the murder of 24 people, while Kothala (Pasupathy) is serving life imprisonment for the same massacre. Through the retelling of the incident from both, it is clear that Virumandi is innocent, while Kothala is the main culprit. The movie presents an eloquent argument against capital punishment.

Hey Ram (2000)

Kamal and Shah Rukh Khan shared the screen in this alternate history period drama film. Set during the Partition and Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination in 1948, Hey Ram, which was shot simultaneously in Hindi and Tamil, shows how an ordinary person, Saket Ram (Kamal), shuns the path of violence even after joining a terrorist group that aimed to kill Mahatma Gandhi. Regarded as Haasan’s magnum opus, Hey Ram was a technical marvel filled with brilliant performances by Hema Malini, Rani Mukerji, Girish Karnad, Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri. It advocates the need for unity among different religious faiths.

Chachi 420 (1997)

(L-R) Kamal Haasan and Tabu in Chachi 420. Twitter

Kamal’s directorial debut Chachi 420, which went on to become a blockbuster, is a remake of the 1996 Tamil-language comedy Avvai Shanmugi. Both films are based on the Hollywood film Mrs. Doubtfire, where a divorced man, desperate to spend time with his children, disguises himself as an elderly woman and enters his ex-wife’s household as their housekeeper. Chachi 420 builds on this premise by adding how religious and caste bigotry continues to undermine relationships in our society. The movie also featured Amrish Puri, Tabu, Om Puri, Paresh Rawal and Nassar.