Kamal Haasan unveils Vishwaroopam trailer

Actor Kamal Haasan who turns 58 today (November 7, 2012) unveiled the trailer of his much awaited film, Vishwaroopam in Chennai.

The actor has written, directed, co-produced and acted in the film.

Talking about his film during the launch, Mr Haasan said, "My film is neither about terrorism nor Islam. It won't even hurt any community for that matter. The story traverses through the adversities of war, and, therefore it may appear as though it's about terrorism, but it's not."

Coming up: Kamal Haasan, unstoppable at 58

Kamal Haasan, who is all set for the release of his bilingual spy thriller Viswaroopam, spoke about his rivalry and relationship with Rajinikanth in a recent interview to NDTV. (Watch interview)

As the Tamil superstar turns 58, we take a look at his illustrious journey in pictures...

Kamal Haasan was born on November 7, 1954 to a Tamil Iyengar family in Paramakudi town in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu.

Kamal Haasan made his film debut as a four-year-old child artiste, in the film Kalathur Kannamma, which was released on August 12, 1959, directed by A Bhimsingh.

He was cast with veteran Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan in the film, which won him the National Film Award for Best Child Artist.

As a child actor, he acted in five other Tamil films in the subsequent years - Paarthal Pasi Theerum, Paadha Kannikkai, Kannum Karalum, Vaanampadi, Anandha Jodhi - with stalwarts Sivaji Ganesan and MG Ramachandran.

This was followed by a seven-year hiatus from films. Kamal chose to concentrate on his education as well as master karate and Bharatanatyam in this time.

He returned in 1970, for a dance sequence in Maanavan. This was followed by small roles in films like Nootrukku Nooru, Annai Velankanni, Kurathi Magan, Kanna Nalama.

Haasan earned his first major role in the 1973 film Arangetram, followed by Sollathaan Ninaikkiren, in which he played the role of a villain. Incidentally, both films starred Sivakumar.

He received the first of his four Filmfare awards for the Malayalam film Kanyakumari (1974). In the next four years, he won six regional Best Actor Filmfare Awards, including four consecutive Best Tamil Actor Awards.

His performance in K Balachander's Apoorva Raagangal (1975), a film on age-gap in relationships, won him a Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Tamil) award.

In 1976, Haasan appeared in the drama Moondru Mudichu with Rajinikanth and Sridevi, another K Balachander film, Manmadha Leelai, and Oru Oodhappu Kan Simittugiradhu, which won him his second consecutive Filmfare Best Actor Award (Tamil).

The film 16 Vayathinile won him his third consecutive award. He played the role of a mentally ill villager in the film starring alongside Rajinikanth and Sridevi.

Kamal Haasan earned his fourth consecutive Filmfare award for Sigappu Rojakkal in 1978.

He played the role of a psychopathic sexual killer in the film, which was a stark contrast from the roles he had played earlier.

In the late seventies, Haasan appeared in other films such as Ninaithale Inikkum (1979) and the horror film, Neeya.

Kamal Haasan's pairing with actress Sridevi was very successful at the time. The duo's first project together was the less-known film Kuttavum Sikshayum (1977). The pair continued to work together in films like Thaayillamal Naan Illai (1979), Guru, Neela Malargal, Kalyanaraman and Varumayin Niram Sigappu, all in 1980.

Kamal Haasan also made guest-cameo appearances in films like Thillu Mullu.

Rajinikanth had previously appeared in some of Kamal Haasan's previous films.

Haasan's 100th film appearance was in 1981's Raja Paarvai, which also marked his debut in film production.

Despite this film's relatively poor reception at the cinemas, his portrayal of a blind violinist earned him another Filmfare Award.

With Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981), Kamal Haasan made his Bollywood debut and a stellar one at that.

The film was a remake of his Telugu film, Maro Charithra (1978) by K Balachandar and earned Kamal a nomination for the Filmfare Best Actor Award.

Haasan won his first of three National Awards for Best Actor with his portrayal of a school teacher who looks after a mentally retarded girl in Balu Mahendra's Moondram Pirai (1982); he reprised his character for the Hindi remake of the film Sadma (1983).

In 1983, Haasan also appeared in Thoongathey Thambi Thoongathey playing a double role.

During 1984-85, Haasan began to make increasingly frequent appearances in Bollywood films, including Saagar (1985), for which he won both the Filmfare Best Actor Award and the Best Supporting Actor Award, making him the first actor to win both awards for the same film.

Saagar saw him share screen space with Rishi Kapoor. Dimple Kapadia played the love interest of both the actors in the film.

That year, he also appeared in the Hindi film Geraftaar alongside Amitabh Bachchan.

In the mid-1980s, Haasan appeared in two Telugu films, Sagara Sangamam and Swathi Muthyam with director, Kasinadhuni Viswanath.

Swathi Muthyam was the first and only Telugu movie till date which was submitted to the Oscars in 1986.

Whilst the former film portrayed Haasan as a drunkard classical dancer, Swathi Muthyam saw him play the role of an autistic person attempting to change society.

This was followed by Punnagai Mannan (1986), in which he played a double role and Vetri Vizha (1989), in which he played a man suffering from amnesia.

In 1987, Haasan appeared in Mani Ratnam's Nayagan, a film in which he essayed the role of an underworld don in Mumbai.

Haasan's portrayal evoked mass sympathy for the struggle of South Indians living in Mumbai.

He received a National Award for his performance in Nayagan, which was India's official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film for the Academy Awards in 1987.

The film was also dubbed into Hindi (as Velu Nayakan) and Telugu (as Nayakudu).

The film was also included in the TIME Magazine's All-Time 100 Greatest Movies list .

In 1987, Haasan appeared in his only silent film to date, black comedy, Pushpak.

In 1989, Haasan played a triple role in Apoorva Sagodharargal.

The commercial film portrayed him in a role as a dwarf. He then attempted dual roles in the Telugu film Indrudu Chandrudu and its Tamil remake.

Kamal Haasan won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor(Telugu) in 1989.

In 1990, Michael Madhana Kama Rajan saw Haasan go one step further, acting in four different roles as quadruplets.

The film started an ongoing collaboration for comedy films between Haasan and Crazy Mohan, an actor and dialogue writer.

Haasan won successive best actor awards for his portrayal of the protagonist in Guna and in Thevar Magan, where he played the son of actor Sivaji Ganesan.

In 1996, Haasan starred in the police story, Kuruthipunal.

His success in Kuruthipunal was followed by his third National Film Award for Best Actor in Indian.

Playing dual roles of a freedom fighter and his corrupt son, the film also won Haasan regional awards and plaudits for his portrayal.

He appeared as a woman in Avvai Shanmughi inspired by the Hollywood production, Mrs Doubtfire.

He soon made his debut as director with a remake of Avvai Shanmughi in Hindi titled Chachi 420.

Following a two-year hiatus, Haasan filmed his second directorial venture, Hey Ram, a period drama told in flashback with a semi-fictional plot centering around India's Partition and the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.

Haasan also took on roles as writer, lyricist and choreographer as well as producing the film under his home banner.

The film, also featured Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukherjee and was India's submission for the Academy Awards in 2000.

His following film was Aalavandhan, where he portrayed two distinct roles, for one of which he had his head tonsured and gained as many as 10 kgs.

Despite much publicity prior to release, the film failed commercially.

Kamal Haasan opted to repay distributors who had suffered losses due to the film.

Following a series of successful comedies in Thenali, Panchathantiram and Pammal K Sambandam and a couple of guest appearances, Haasan directed his third feature film in Virumandi, a film about the death penalty.

Haasan appeared in KS Ravikumar's Dasavathaaram portraying 10 distinct roles in the venture, which is one of the most expensive Indian films ever made.

Dasavathaaram (2008) became the second highest grossing film ever in the history of Tamil cinema and won Haasan critical praise for his enactment.

He was also the story and screenwriter for the project.

He was paired opposite Asin Thottumkal in the film.

Kamal Haasan has won four National Film Awards for his performances in Kalathur Kannamma, Moondram Pirai, Nayagan and Indian.

He has also tried his hand at playback singing and has sung for more than 50 films in his career.

Kamal Haasan has had a colourful personal life and been in the news as much for his work as for his on and off relationships.

Early in his career, he co-starred in several Tamil and Malayalam films with noted actress Srividya. The pair were reported to have been a part of a notorious affair in the 1970s.

Srividya, who died in 2006, was visited by Haasan at her bedside during her final days. Haasan and Srividya's relationship was explored in the 2008 Malayalam film, Thirakkatha by Renjith, with Anoop Menon portraying the character of Kamal Haasan and Priyamani playing Srividya.

In 1978, at the age of 24, Haasan met and married danseuse Vani Ganapathy.

Vani designed the costumes for her husband's films.

Kamal Haasan and Vani Ganapathy divorced after 10 years together and actress Sarika was blamed for the break up.

Subsequently, Kamal Haasan and Sarika married in 1988. The duo have two children - Shruti Haasan (born 1986) and Akshara Haasan (born 1991). Sarika and Kamal Haasan divorced in 2002.

While Shruti is a singer and actress, starring in movies like Luck, Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji and 3. Akshara is pursuing higher studies in Bangalore.

Inset: Akshara Haasan.

A brief relationship with Simran, who appeared opposite Haasan in two consecutive ventures with Pammal K Sambandam and Panchathantiram, followed after she ended her relationship with choreographer Raju Sundaram.

However, the pair's companionship was shortlived, as Simran went on to marry a childhood friend in 2004.

Currently Haasan lives with former actress Gouthami Tadimalla, who co-starred with Haasan in several films in the late 1980s to the early 1990s.

Inset: Kamal with Gouthami (centre), her daughter Subhalakshmi (left), and his daughters Akshara and Shruti.

In 1990, Kamal Haasan received the Padma Shri.

Kamal Haasan is now ready for the release of Viswaroopam, which is a spy thriller.