Indian 2: We will continue to make political films regardless of who holds power, says Kamal Haasan

Did you know Shankar initially approached Rajinikanth for 'Indian'? Here's everything you need to know about its much-hyped sequel, 'Indian 2'.

BySouth First Desk

Published Jun 29, 2024 | 9:45 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 29, 2024 | 9:45 AM

'Indian', directed by Shankar, became the most expensive film in Kamal Haasan's career up until then. (X)

'Indian', directed by Shankar, became the most expensive film in Kamal Haasan's career up until then. (X)

The makers of Indian 2 are pulling out all the stops to promote their film, which is set to release on 12 July, in multiple languages. After holding press conferences in Chennai and Mumbai, the team has extended their promotional tour to Malaysia, too.

In Indian, Kamal Haasan plays Senapathy, an elderly vigilante who uses varmam, a form of martial arts, to combat corruption by killing bureaucrats. The character is suggested to be around 75 years old, in the 1996 film.

In the 2024 sequel, Senapathy would be 103 years old, which is quite not an ideal age to engage in fights and martial arts. However, director Shankar wants the audience to view Senapathy not as an ordinary person but as a superhero.

In an interview, Shankar said, “When we made Indian, we had no idea there would be a sequel. I wanted to stay true to that film. Since I depicted Senapathy as a freedom fighter, I had to disclose his birth year. Only recently did I realise that we mentioned 1918 as his birth year. I don’t even remember exactly.”

Senapathy, a superhero

Kamal Haasan and Shankar on the sets of 'Indian 2'. (X)

Kamal Haasan and Shankar on the sets of ‘Indian 2’. (X)

Shankar added that he views Senapathy as a martial arts master. “In China, there are martial arts masters, like Lu Zijian, who is 108 years old and still active, flying, and kicking. This is due to their discipline and the way they practice the art. Senapathy is also a master of varmam; so I see him as a superhero.”

Kamal Haasan discussed wearing prosthetics again for Indian 2, noting that he has done it before. “I would have avoided it if the film wasn’t exciting or the director wasn’t demanding enough. But that wasn’t the case here. I had promised myself no more prosthetics. However, only a good film could make me go through it once more.”

‘Political films aren’t easy to make’

At a promotional event in Mumbai, Kamal Haasan discussed the risks that artistes face when making political films.

“As artistes, we represent many of you. The applause we receive makes us believe we are your voice, allowing us to speak boldly without fear of repercussions. There is risk involved; governments may react unfavourably, but your applause extinguishes that threat. So, let’s make that applause louder.”

In response to whether it’s challenging to make films that challenge the establishment, Kamal Haasan remarked that this has been an issue since the British era. “Filmmakers were making such films even back then. We will continue to make them regardless of who holds power.”

Kamal Haasan further said that questioning the government is not just the filmmaker’s prerogative but every citizen’s right.

When questioned about the tagline “zero tolerance” of Indian 2 and his views on aspects of society that he finds difficult to tolerate, Kamal Haasan acknowledged his admiration for Gandhi but stated his disagreement with Mahatma’s teachings on tolerance.

‘What you tolerate becomes a headache’

“I greatly admire Gandhiji, but I don’t subscribe to the idea of tolerance. What you tolerate becomes a headache. Anything that poses a problem for society should be met with zero tolerance. Find a remedy and eliminate it.”

Also, Kamal Haasan and Shankar announced that the third installment of the Indian franchise will hit theatres in 2025.

 Kamal Haasan expressed his lack of complete conviction with the Indian script at that time, feeling that Senapathy’s actions did not present a definitive solution.

“In the first film, those were the aspirations of a common man that could never be realised. The presentation we offered didn’t provide a political remedy for the problem of corruption. However, in Indian 2, I see the evolution of Shankar (the director), of society, and all of us. We were moving in the right direction.”

Senapathy, again: The timely re-release of ‘Indian’ amidst political change

‘Releasing Indian in parts was Shankar’s decision’

Kamal Haasan revealed that both Indian 2 and Indian 3 were shot simultaneously. When he worked on Vishwaroopam (2013), he faced a script that was initially 350 pages long. He was advised to condense it, promising a fantastic film, as a result.

“From day one of Vishwaroopam, I was shooting for Vishwaroopam 2. I made the call and informed my crew that this project would be in two parts. I explained that we were embarking on a journey to create two films and they would be compensated accordingly. It involved shooting intermittently, switching back and forth between the two films. This is similar to the decision Shankar made.”

Highlights of Indian 2 audio launch: The sequel stands against divisive ideologies, says Kamal Haasan

Impressed by the output of 'Indian 2', Kamal Haasan presented a watch to Shankar. (X)

Impressed by the output of ‘Indian 2’, Kamal Haasan presented a watch to Shankar. (X)

Kamal Haasan was so impressed with Indian that during the dubbing phase, he jokingly suggested that Shankar starts planning for a sequel, Indian 2, even before the release of the first part. Looking back on this moment, Kamal Haasan observed, “It seemed like a joke, but I was serious about it.”

Shankar’s calm demeanour made a profound impact on Kamal Haasan. He also recognised the steadfast support of producer AM Rathnam, who stood by them throughout the complexities of bringing an ambitious film like Indian to reality.

Indian became the most expensive film in Kamal Haasan’s career up until then.

Kamal Haasan acknowledged that playing Senapathy has instilled a sense of calm in him. “The collective anger still simmers like molten lava, poised to erupt. Addressing issues through personal commitment and daily vigilance is more effective than relying on vigilante actions or expecting one person to combat corruption alone.”

Senapathy, Kamal’s favourite

Interestingly, Kamal Haasan holds a special fondness for Senapathy. When some people from his lawyer-father Srinivasan’s village and old friends visited him, Kamal Haasan happened to be dressed as Senapathy for the first time during a look test.

“When they saw me, they became emotional and started touching my feet, remembering my father. It was a deeply emotional moment,” he recalled, in an interview.

Another interesting fact is that not many are aware that Rajinikanth was initially considered for the role in Indian, before Kamal Haasan.

Rajinikanth and Shankar on the sets of 'Enthiran'. (X)

Rajinikanth and Shankar on the sets of ‘Enthiran’. (X)

After the success of Shankar’s debut film Gentleman (1993), Rajinikanth expressed interest in working with the director and asked if he had a script for him. Shankar then pitched a story titled, Periya Manushan.

Although Rajinikanth liked the script, he couldn’t commit to the film due to prior commitments. Nonetheless, Shankar was determined to proceed with the project and approached Kamal Haasan, who eventually signed on for the film. The rest, as they say, is history.

Indian 2 features music by Anirudh Ravichander, cinematography by Ravi Varman, and editing by Sreekar Prasad. The film’s ensemble cast includes Siddharth, Rakul Preet Singh, SJ Suryah, Bobby Simha, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Manobala, Vivekh, Kajal Aggarwal, Brahmanandam, Delhi Ganesh, Jagan, Gulshan Grover, Samuthirakani, and Nedumudi Venu.

(Edited by S Subhakeerthana)

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‘Indian 2’ trailer: Kamal Haasan returns as Senapathy, reviving his fight against corruption

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