Kamal Haasan Birthday Special: 5 Must-Watch Kamal Haasan Movies on Sun NXT
Every 7 November, Tamil cinema gets a reason to celebrate.
Kamal Haasan was born on that day in 1954, and his name even comes with a little trivia: Kamal means lotus. He turns 72 this year, and a movie marathon is the best way to wish him.
These five Kamal Haasan movies on Sun NXT show five very different sides of the actor, so pick one and press play.
Papanasam (2015): The Ordinary Man Who Outthinks Everyone
Suyambulingam runs a cable TV service in a small town and never studied beyond class four. He loves his wife and two daughters, and that’s all he wants from life. When a crime pulls his family in, he has to match wits with a determined police force. His only weapons are patience and a very quiet kind of cleverness.
Kamal drops every trace of the star here. He speaks in a Tirunelveli accent, and Suyambulingam feels like someone from your own street. Jeethu Joseph directed this remake of his own Malayalam hit Drishyam and reshaped it for Tamil audiences with a more emotional touch.
Asha Sarath plays the police chief hunting for answers, and Kalabhavan Mani is the constable with a grudge against Suyambulingam. Ghibran’s music even won him the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Director, and the film is estimated to have grossed over ₹100 crore worldwide.
Fun fact: Papanasam is also a Tamil Nadu town known for its Shiva temple. Gautami returned to acting with this film after about sixteen years.
Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu (2006): The Stylish Cop
DCP Raghavan is sharp and sarcastic, and nothing seems to rattle him. When he hunts a pair of brutal killers, the case follows him from Chennai all the way to New York. Gautham Vasudev Menon directs with plenty of style.
Ravi Varman’s camera gives it a rich look, and Harris Jayaraj’s songs add to the mood. Daniel Balaji plays one of the killers, which turns the chase into a proper cat-and-mouse game. Kamal won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor for the role, with Jyothika as Aradhana opposite him. The film also went on to be a box-office success.
Fun fact: Menon himself pops up in the song “Manjal Veyyil”.
Panchathanthiram (2002): The Comic Chaos
The title means “five ruses”, and this film earns it. Five friends, a body they think they need to hide and a whole lot of panic make up the plot. Kamal wrote the story, K. S. Ravikumar directed, and Crazy Mohan filled it with dialogues that people still quote. The famous “Munnadi Pinnadi” scene is a fan favourite, and the newspaper report that follows only adds to the chaos.
The cast makes it even better. Jayaram, Ramesh Aravind, Sriman and Yugi Sethu bounce off Kamal, while Simran, Ramya Krishnan and Urvashi keep up with them. Jayaram even won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor in Tamil for his role.
Fun fact: Kamal, Ravikumar and Crazy Mohan had already teamed up for Avvai Shanmugi and Thenali. The story loosely borrows from the 1998 Hollywood film Very Bad Things, with plenty of new twists added. Panchathanthiram later inspired a 2013 Punjabi film, Lucky Di Unlucky Story.
Pammal K. Sambandam (2002): The Reluctant Romantic
Pammal K. Sambandam is a stuntman who thinks marriage is a trap. Dr Janaki, a surgeon played by Simran, isn’t a believer either. Throw them into one story and the arguments start flying, with Abbas and Sneha in support. Director Moulee keeps things light, and Crazy Mohan’s one-liners do the rest. Kamal throws himself into the slapstick, and it shows.
Things get funnier once a surgeon’s wristwatch ends up somewhere it shouldn’t be. The film hit screens on Pongal day in 2002 and did well at the box office. It was dubbed into Telugu as Brahmachari and remade in Hindi as Kambakkht Ishq in 2009. It’s a feel-good pick for days when you want to laugh without thinking too hard.
Fun fact: Devayani was originally part of the cast, but Sneha replaced her after her sudden marriage. Crazy Mohan himself plays an ENT doctor in a cameo.
Raam Laxman (1981): The Hero with an Elephant for a Best Friend
Before the slick cops and city comedies, a young Kamal starred in this Devar Films outing. Ram shares an unbreakable bond with his pet elephant, Lakshman. When his sweetheart Meena’s father says he’ll approve the marriage only if Ram gives up the elephant, Ram refuses. Then a cunning plot frames both of them for a murder, and they have to clear their names together.
What makes it work is the loyalty at its heart. Ram would rather risk everything than abandon his friend, and that gives the story its emotional pull. Sripriya plays Meena, and M. N. Nambiar and Pandari Bai also feature in the cast. Ilaiyaraaja composed the music, and the film was shot in Ooty. It’s a good pick for a family evening.
Fun fact: Ilaiyaraaja’s song “Naanthaan Ungappanda” from this film was reported to be on the playlist for the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony.
Why These Kamal Haasan Movies Are Worth Watching
Together, these films show how wide Kamal’s range really is. He’s the quiet father, the sharp cop, the comic ringleader, the stubborn bachelor and the hero who shares the screen with an elephant. If you want Kamal movies that go beyond the usual hits, this list mixes thriller, comedy, romance and family entertainment.
Each film also suits a different mood. Papanasam is for a night when you want to stay glued to the screen. Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu is for when you’re in the mood for a stylish chase. Panchathanthiram and Pammal K. Sambandam are for easy laughs, and Raam Laxman is for the whole family.
Not sure how to plan your Kamal movies marathon? Open the weekend with the thriller, keep the comedies for a lazy afternoon, and end with the elephant. And if you’ve been trying to watch Tamil movies online without hopping between apps, Sun NXT puts the whole marathon in one place.
The Final Cut
Kamal Haasan turns 72 on 7 November, and watching him work is the nicest way to wish him. Start with the thriller or the comedy, depending on your mood, and save the elephant for last. All five Kamal Haasan movies are waiting on Sun NXT, so open the app and start your birthday marathon.