The latest on ‘Dasavatharam’

Film buffs may not know how many of the 10 avatars in ‘Dasavatharam’ actor Kamal Haasan is done with, but titbits about the film have been doing the rounds among his fans’ circle.

An official press release issued by the crew recently said two songs remained to be shot and that the audio launch would be held this month. The songs will be shot in Chennai at sets art director Thotta Tharani has been constructing at a cost of Rs. 3 crore. Himesh Reshammiya has scored the music for the film.

Kamal Hassan is said to have given 10 different variations to his voice while dubbing for the characters he plays and heroine actor Asin has also dubbed for her role for the first time. The film, earlier perceived as a possible comedy, is said to have become a completely performance-oriented script. With veteran actor Nagesh, who has performed with Kamal in many of his comedies, including ‘Avvai Shanmugi’ and ‘Panchathantiram’, playing a role in the film, the audience may be surprised by an interesting comedy track.

Actors Napolean, Mallika Sherawat, Jayapradha and Rekha, and directors P. Vasu and Ramesh Khanna are among the other actors.

Kamal Hassan has paid attention to the action sequences that have been choreographed by U.S.-based Joop Katana and Andy Dixon, apart from Kanal Kannan and others. The crew began shooting the film in Chennai, and then went to Malaysia, United States and came back to Pichavaram. Eager fans are said to have spotted the crew at different parts of the city, including the Chintadripet MRTS railway station and Nehru Indoor Stadium.

With all this buzz on the one side, what does Kamal have to say? “The fact that the Chief Minister enjoyed the pictures with enthusiasm and pinched my cheek with affection is equivalent to celebrating the success of ‘Dasavatharam’ with a huge function,” he has said in the press release.