“Feb 7 Is  Day We Won A Major Victory Over Government-Sponsored Bans,” Says Kamal Haasan

A false release date announced on  Bookmyshow for the long-awaited sequel to the Hindi-Tamil espionage Hindi-Tamil-Telugu bi-lingual Vishwaroop/Vishwaroop had fans of Kamal Haasan agog.

Turned out to be more of wishful thinking.

Says Kamal, “Vishwaroop 2 is far from ready. But my fans who supported me during the attempts to ban the film when it was to be release in 2013 remember that date,February 7 , as the day the ban was forced to be lifted.”

With a vivid shudder the filmmaker-actor recalls the hell he went through in getting Vishwaroop released. “We got the ban lifted in time for release. But then the government got another judge to ban the film overnight. We again went to court , got the ban lifted and released the film on February 7.That day was  a historic victory for all films and other mediums of expression that suffer a ban from forces that do not want people to see what they want to see.”

Says Kamal, “Censorship and banning are a clear sign of someone not wanting you to speak your mind even if thoughts are just and normal.  Even children try to stop their friends from revealing something which they think might be embarrassing to them. It is a childish trait in a grownup society.”

Bans according to Kamal Haasan, besides being against our fundamental rights is also undemocratic. “Governments which are still not open to democracy , do such things. We are not under such a government.”

The ethereally enchanting Waheeda Rehman who regaled us with her nimble dancing in Vijay Anand’s Guide 45 years ago will be seen again as a Bharat Natyam dancer in Kamal Haasan’sVishwaroop/Vishwaroopam 2. The last time Waheedaji  was  seen dancing was the Mujra in Gulzar’s Namkeen . In Vishwaroopam 2 she would be seen as she looked in her Guide days, thanks to the marvels of technology.

Apparently the ever-innovative Kamal Haasan intends to morph Waheeda’s face from her heydays on to a young Bharat Natyamdancer’s torso in the dance performances.

The role of an aging classical dancer in Vishawroopam 2 is a pivotal one of Kamal Haasan’s mother. The actor-director was very keen thatVyjanthimala do the part. But she resolutely turned him down. It was then that Waheeda Rehman slipped into the picture.