Kamal Haasan reveals Kannadasan’s caustic comment about his writing

He then recalled an instance when he met Kannadasan and got his opinion on his poem. “Even when I was 16 or 17, I dared to show my poem to him and ask for his opinion. He had the great composure to look at it. There was a caustic comment which I understood only later. He told me to keep reading. By which he indirectly meant that writing is not all about writing, but to become well with its spring.”

Kamal Haasan later turned lyricist for the songs in his films. He has penned rich lines for songs like “Nilai Varumaa”, “Neela Vaanam”, “Saagaavaram”, and “Naanaagiya Nadhimoolamae”. 

He recently penned a song for his upcoming film Thug Life, directed by Mani Ratnam. Composed by AR Rahman, the song was finished in one hour according to Kamal. Talking about the song, the actor-filmmaker said, “Yesterday, Rahman Sir, Mani Ratnam, and I composed a song in just two hours (for Thug Life). We didn’t discuss how much it was worth, nor did we clap and celebrate it. But there is happiness. I went around like a child bragging that we finished the song in such a short span. And then I wondered whether I was gloating too much as people like Kannadasan have finished songs in five minutes. But that is what brings happiness to me.”