From Thug Life to Vikram 2: A look at Kamal Haasan¡¯s upcoming films on his birthday

Kamal Haasan, who turns 70 today (November 7), is widely regarded as one of Indian cinema¡¯s biggest names. The powerhouse performer, who began his career as a child artiste with the 1960 Tamil classic Kalathur Kanamma, has been an integral part of the film fraternity for over six decades.

During his illustrious career, he has inspired generations of moviegoers with his powerful performances and has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. Here is a look at Kamal Haasan¡¯s upcoming projects

Thug Life

Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam, who previously teamed up for the classic gangster drama Nayakan, are set to work their magic again with Thug Life. The action drama was officially launched in November, 2022 much to the delight of fans. It, subsequently, went on the floors in Chennai. Major portions of the film have also been shot in New Delhi. The film¡¯s storyline is under wraps. However, going by Mani Ratnam¡¯s brand of storytelling, one can expect it to feature realistic action scenes and several unexpected twists.

Thug Life has an ensemble cast that includes Simbu, Trisha, Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Joju George, and Nassar. The film¡¯s music is composed by AR Rahman, who previously collaborated with Kamal Haasan for Indian. Thug Life is set to hit the screens in 2025.

Indian 3

Kamal Haasan suffered a massive setback when Indian 2, a sequel to the 1996 classic Indian, hit the screens earlier this year and bombed at the box office. It also received negative reviews. Despite this, fans have high expectations from Indian 3 as it marks Kamal Haasan¡¯s first collaboration with Kajal Aggarwal. Moreover, the third film of the Indian franchise also features a powerful flashback sequence.

Kamal Haasan had himself hinted at Indian 3 being a special film when he said that he did Indian 2 only because of the third part. Indian 3, like the previous installments of the franchise, is directed by S Shankar. The film's music is composed by Anirudh Ravichander.

Kalki 2

Kamal Haasan impressed fans with his cameo in Prabhas¡¯ Kalki 2898 AD and proved that he is second to none. The film featured the veteran actor as Supreme Yaskin, the menacing antagonist, and gave him an opportunity to bring a fierce character to life on the big screen. Kamal Haasan is set to feature more prominently in Kalki 2, which will centre on the showdown between ¡®good¡¯ and ¡®evil¡¯.

Given this story, one can expect the Appu Raja actor to have several intense scenes with Amitabh Bachchan. Big B plays Ashwatthama, the immortal protector, in the biggie. Kalki 2 is likely to hit the screens in a couple of years.

Vikram 2

Kamal Haasan, who suffered a big setback when Vishwaroopam 2 (2018) tanked at the box office, scored a much-needed hit with Vikram. The Lokesh Kanagaraj-directed film featured ¡®Nammavar¡¯ as a secret agent and centered on his fight against the drug mafia. It was a part of the Loki Cinematic Universe (LCU) and was connected to Karthi¡¯s Kaithi.

Thalapathy Vijay¡¯s Leo, which hit the screens in 2023, too is set in the same universe. Lokesh Kanagaraj plans to make Vikram 2 with Kamal Haasan reprising his role as Agent Vikram. The planned sequel is expected to serve as the final installment of the LCU. As such, one can expect it to feature cameos from the likes of Vijay, Suriya, and Karthi. There is, however, no word on when Vikram 2 will hit the screens.