Cinematic experiments and political mythmaking: deconstructing the celebrity auteur body of Kamal Haasan in Indian cinema

In the complex landscape of South Indian cinema, Kamal Haasan is celebrated as a versatile actor, director, producer, and political figure. Drawing on close textual analysis of a select body of Haasan’s films and secondary discourse surrounding his public and political career, this article examines the notoriety of his celebrity status constructed through unconventional experiments in cinema and public discourse. It argues that Kamal Haasan plays the role of a modern auteur who possesses a highly flexible corporeality which is susceptible to cinematic experiments. Through his political and ideological portrayals, Haasan embodies a mythical Ardhanarishvara figure, blending femininity and romance. This article also analyses journalistic, promotional, and scholarly representations of the reception of Haasan’s celebrity political image to argue that Kamal Haasan is a star subject of cinematic experiments who actively intervenes in public affairs through a form of authorship that is film-centric rather than fan-centric.