Kamal Hassan is not only known for his versatile roles but also for the way he adroitly slips into his charecters by costumes and impressive make up. In the city, for the two day FICC-Media and entertainment business conclave in his stint its Chairman, Kamal looks a million bucks in his black suit busy moderating discussions, making new friends, adressing different sessions and giving media interviews, talking about taxes and markets- to sum up he does what he is best at- multi tasking. Kamal who talks passionately about his corporate avatar as chairman informs that one of the biggest tasks ahead of him is to convince the state governments to revise the entertainment tax bills and frame better laws to secure the entertainment sector in the country.
"FICCI, the organisation I am representing now has been working since several decades and brought 'industry' status to the entertainment sector in the country. This organisation gave me a platform to advocate the issues plaguing the industry. Several state governments have slashed the entertainment taxes owing to our request. If this entertainment tax is legislated without a few modifications and revisions, there could be a Rs 5,000 crore black market in show business in the country and many might stop making movies.This will lead to hoarding of money like in old days and so we are asking the governments to revise them and legislate entetainment taxes in the format that is acceptable to us.Besides, the governments shouldn't control the ticket prices in theatres because it is business and should let us free to decide the prices for ourselves. In the two day conclave we discussed human resources, employment, convergence of different media and losely knit laws that are affecting the entertainment sector in the country"he says in a true corporate style.
"Indian film makers shouldn't crave for Oscar awards. Oscar is an American standard.We should be giving away awards to American actors. We have to enhance the quality of cinema and have our own standard of movies. We have to create a higher standard than Oscar awards and I hope to see a day when Hollywood movie makers take pride in winning an Indian award " he adds.
The actor is agrresively campaigning the need for more film schools in the country which he feels will bring out more 'professional' actors and technicians.
"Every profession, be it engineers, doctors or lawyers has training schools and so should actors and other technicians have. There is a need to document the old cinema and its making to be able to teach the young aspirants. In Hollywood, we see even a make up artiste graduate from a professional school. A film school will make the aspiring actors and technicians familiarise them to the demands of this profession well before they start working and it enhances the quality of cinema for sure" he opines.
On one hand, film pandits urge the need to reduce the budgets of film making and on the other hand stars like Rajnikanth make films whose budgets run into hundreds of crores.Where does Kamal stand on this?
"Rajni's Robot is successful not because of the content, but due to marketing strategy and saleable star.We can't generalise Robot's budget to everyone.Huge budget films are good as long as there is content in the movie and is marketed well. Robot would have been a better success if it had content to supplement the marketing" he says candidly.
Kamal who is looking forward to the release of his next Tamil film 'Manmadham Ambu' starring Trisha and Madhavan for which he even penned two songs says he will continue to experiment with his roles as long as he can.He says he will soon act in a straight Telugu film again.
"Every night I dream something in my sleep. I have a lot of dream roles and will continue to do something different. My urge to do versatile roles is a continuous process. If there is an exciting script, I will act in a staright Telugu film. I might do one soon." Hassan quips. While the producers and directors have been demanding a cut in remuneration of stars citing it as reason for high movie budgets, will the actor reduce his remuneration?
"I will reduce my remuneration if I am assured I will get a pension after my retirement.We are paid the fee in tandem with our market. If we don't earn those kind of revenues, will producers pay us such remuneration? Not all actors get paid as much remuneration. It is all in demand and supply" Kamal concludes.
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