Bharateeyudu2: Kamal’s Aged Look Raising Questions

Kamal Haasan, at 69 years old, is reprising his role as the ‘freedom fighter’ Senapathy in the upcoming sequel “Indian 2” aka Bharateeyudu 2. While his advanced age may raise some eyebrows, director Shankar seems confident that he can pull off the action sequences required for the character.

In the original 1996 film “Indian”, Haasan wore prosthetics for 40 days to portray the elderly Senapathy. For the sequel, he donned the makeup for over 70 days, leaving Shankar with “goosebumps” just like when he saw Haasan’s look test for the original. However, some viewers are questioning the logic behind casting a 106-year-old man as an action hero in 2024 as Kamal’s age in Bharateeyudu is shown as nearly 75+ years old.

The “Indian 2” trailer does evoke comparisons to Shankar’s previous socially-conscious films like “Sivaji” which also dealt with corruption. While the director promises the story goes “beyond Tamil Nadu” this time, the core theme of an elderly avenger taking on modern-day corruption may feel a bit stale to contemporary audiences.

Whether “Indian 2” can resonate with today’s youth remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure – Kamal Haasan’s commitment to the role is beyond question, even if his age makes some viewers worry.