Bollywood blockbuster to Kollywood classic: Kamal Haasan picks his 70 favourite movies

Widely considered one of the finest actors in India, Kamal Haasan has straddled the world of Indian cinema like a colossus, doing path-breaking roles for more than 40 years, in over 200 films in different languages, from Tamil and Telugu to Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi.

So here they are: an interesting list of 70 films since 1947, in different Indian languages, 70 films that changed Kamal Haasan’s life.

Click here to see how the list was curated

Note: Movies in which Kamal Haasan was involved are marked with *

How the list was curated

Naturally, the task of selecting just 70 films is daunting. Kamal Haasan clarifies that he is not a film scholar. “I can only choose from the films I have seen,” says the actor with four National Awards under his belt. “And naturally I have not seen every good film.” He says he can only include films that changed his life, as a man, as an actor. “This is not a bucket list – 70 films you should see before you die. I’m not trying to recommend movies, or impose my choices on other people. Films are my profession, my life. The way I react to a film will be different from the way other people would. I’m sure I will probably notice nuances other people may not. Finally, it’s like falling in love! Why do you fall in love with someone? Who knows? It’s the same with movies.”