The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) concluded recently in Goa, amidst several controversies. Kamal has been a regular at these festivals. Here, we go back a whole ten years to New Delhi, when his Kurudhippunal (remake of Drohkaal) featured in the festival.

Excerpts from the The Hindu news item:

Kamal Hassan was against the difference between art and commercial cinema. He also asked why they must have two sections like the Indian Panorama and Mainstream cinema at the festival here. He was not scheduled to address the press till the morning and was suddenly roped in to address presspersons at the Siri Fort complex as he was to leave for Madras later. `Kuruthippunal’ directed by P. C. Sriram is in the mainstream section of the festival which saw a full house at a regular commercial screening, as he was a popular star in north India also.

Talking about his film, Kamal Hassan said he was happy that his film was in the mainstream section. “I do not know why we are trying to have two different sections in this festival. I think we must try to bridge the gap between them which was created years ago. I am doing it and Mani Ratnam is trying it and other younger generation directors are also doing their best to prove this point.”

Answering a question on his film being nominated for an Oscar, Kamal said he was happy that his film had travelled so far. “The film I acted has been selected for Oscars. This is not the first time. `Sagar’ (Hindi), `Sagara Sangamam’ (Telugu), `Nayagan’, `Devar Magan’ and the recent one `Kuruthippunal’ all from Tamil have had the privilege of going to Oscars. You must put it this way. They were not my films except `Devar Magan’ and `Kuruthippunal’ which was produced by me. Sagar was a Sippy film, and `Nayagan’ was Mani Ratnam’s and `Sagara Sangamam’ was K. Viswanath’s brain child. I happened to act in all these films.”

[Source: Jagadish’s Kamal site]