4 Times Kamal Haasan And Ajith Kumar Clashed At The Box-Office
Festivals in India mean one thing for film buffs – new film releases! The films which release during the festive season are either big budget films or movies starring big stars. The buzz around the film starts right from the time it goes on the floor, and when the release date is announced, it trends on social media. This year, too, we have two amazing films which release on Diwali – Vedalam and Thoongavanam. While the first one stars Ajith Kumar, the latter stars Kamal Haasan in the lead. If you thought that this is the first time they are clashing at the box office, then you’re wrong. We’ll tell you the number of times their movies have clashed at the box office:
Pavithra vs. Nammavar (1994)
Remember Kamal Haasan and his students dancing to the song Sorgam Enbathu Namakku? The song featured in the film Nammavar. The film told the tale of a college vice-principal, who decides to reform a downtrodden college. Kamal Haasan’s intense yet calm performance added much- needed weight to this relatable plot.
Pavithra is rightly considered one of the boldest films of the ’90s. The film explored the bond between a nurse and a dying patient. Back then, Ajith was a newcomer in the film industry, and this film gave him a lot of scope to showcase his acting ability.
The Verdict: Pavithra and Nammavar both released on Diwali, and both the films received negative response at the box office! However, they were still able to win the attention of the critics. Pavithra won the the Tamil Nadu State Award for Best Film. Nammavar went on to win the National Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. You guess the winner!
Mugavaree vs. Hey Ram (2000)
Mugavaree starred Ajith as a struggling musician, who aims to make a mark in the film industry. In this meta-film of sorts, Ajith’s character was similar to his role in Kandukondain Kandukondain, which released in the same year.
Kamal Haasan’s ambitious project, Hey Ram, featured an ensemble cast including Bollywood biggies, such as Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Hema Malini and Naseeruddin Shah. The film told the semi-fictional tale of of India’s Partition and the murder of Mahatma Gandhi by Nathuram Godse. It was India’s official entry to the Oscars but never made it to the nominations list. Kamal Haasan’s exuberant performance was undoubtedly one of the many highlights of this film. The film managed to get a good box office opening as well.
The Verdict: Both these movies received mixed response at the box office- they were never termed as ‘hit’ films. But Hey Ram clearly made more of a mark.
Pammal K. Sambandam Vs. Red (2002)
Kamal Haasan made us fall in love with a clumpy, funny and male chauvinist goon in Pammal K. Sambandam. With hilarious one-liners and impeccable comic timing by him, this film managed to strike the right chord with the audience.
Ajith broke the image of a charming boy-next-door by playing the role of a gangster in Red. The actor also sported a tonsured look for the film. But despite these efforts, the film failed to leave an impression.
The Verdict: 2002 saw both Kamal Haasan and Ajith don similar roles. Both the actors played local dons. While Kamal Haasan‘s rib-tickling film turned out to be a success. Ajith’s film Red, bombed at the box-office.
These comparisons may suggest that Kamal Haasan will be the winner in the upcoming clash as well. But you can never tell what works at the box office!
Which movie are you supporting this Diwali – Thoongavanam or Vedalam? Take this poll and let us know.
#Thoongavanam Or #Vedhalam – Which Movie are You Waiting to Watch?
— Filmdhamaka (@Filmdhamaka) November 6, 2015
By Raisa Nasreen