Kamal Haasan

His brothers, Charuhasan (born 1931) and Chandrahasan (1937–2017), 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 continued his education in Santhome, Madras, and was attracted towards film and fine arts as encouraged by his father.

When a physician friend of his mother, visited A. V. Meiyappan (AVM) to treat his wife, she brought Haasan with her.

Apparently impressed by his demeanor AVM's son, M. Saravanan, recommended him for their production Kalathur Kannamma.

Haasan won the Rashtrapati Award (President's gold medal) for his performance in Kalathur Kannamma at age six and starred in five more films as a child.

Kamal Haasan (born Parthasarathy Srinivasan on 7 November 1954) 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.

Considered as one of the finest actors in Indian cinema, Haasan is also known for introducing many new film technologies and film making techniques to the Indian film industry.

He has won numerous accolades, including Four National Film Awards, Nine Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, Four Nandi Awards, One Rashtrapati Award, Two Filmfare Awards and 17 Filmfare Awards South.

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.

Haasan started his career as a child artist in the 1960 Tamil film Kalathur Kannamma at the age of 6, for which he won the President's Gold Medal.

He debuted in the Malayalam film industry with Kannum Karalum (1962).

Upon his father's encouragement, he joined a repertory company (T. K. S. Nataka Sabha) headed by T. K. Shanmugam.

In the meanwhile, he continued his education at the Hindu Higher Secondary School in Triplicane.

His time with the theatre company shaped Haasan's craft and kindled his interest in makeup.

After a seven-year hiatus from films, Haasan returned to the industry as a dance assistant, apprenticing under choreographer Thankappan.

During this time, Haasan made brief appearances in some films including a few uncredited roles.

His first appearance came in the 1970 film Maanavan, in which he appeared in a dance sequence.

He went on to assist Thankappan in films such as Annai Velankani (1971) and Kasi Yathirai (1973).

In the former he had a supporting role and worked as an assistant director.

His first full-fledged role came in K. Balachander's Tamil film Arangetram (1973).

Balachander cast him as the antagonist in his Sollathaan Ninaikkiren (1973).

Haasan went on to do supporting roles in films such as Gumasthavin Magal (1974), Aval Oru Thodar Kathai (1974) and Naan Avanillai.

The same year, he played his first lead role in the Malayalam film, Kanyakumari, for which he won his first Filmfare Award.

In Tamil cinema, he had his breakthrough as a lead actor in Balachander'S. Apoorva Raagangal.

He played a rebellious young man who falls in love with an older woman.

His breakthrough as a lead actor came in the 1975 drama Apoorva Raagangal, directed by K. Balachander, in which he played a rebellious youth who falls in love with an older woman.

He won his first National Film Award for his portrayal of a guileless school teacher who cares for a woman who suffers from retrograde amnesia in Moondram Pirai (1982).

He further gained immense acclaim for his performances in Sagara Sangamam (1983), Swathi Muthyam (1986), Nayakan (1987), Pushpaka Vimana (1987), Sathyaa (1988), Apoorva Sagodharargal (1989), Gunaa (1991), Thevar Magan (1992), Nammavar (1994), Mahanadhi (1994), Indian (1996), Hey Ram (2000), Aalavandhan (2001), Anbe Sivam (2003), Virumaandi (2004), Vettaiyadu Villaiyadu (2006), Dasavathaaram (2008), in which he played ten roles, Vishwaroopam (2013), and Vikram (2022).

His production company, Raaj Kamal Films International, has produced several of his films.

He was awarded the Kalaimamani Award in 1984, the Padma Shri in 1990, the Padma Bhushan in 2014 and the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Chevalier) in 2016.

For his philanthropic efforts, Haasan received the first Abraham Kovoor National Award in 2004.

He was project ambassador for the Hridayaragam 2010 event, which raised funds for an orphanage for HIV/AIDS-affected children.

In September 2010, Haasan launched a children's cancer relief fund and gave roses to children with cancer at Sri Ramachandra University in Porur, Chennai.

Haasan was nominated by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Swachh Bharat Mission.

On 21 February 2018, Haasan formally launched his political party, Makkal Needhi Maiam (lit. People's Justice Centre).