Kamal Haasan: Cinema’s Oldest Gen Z

Veteran actor Kamal Haasan has marked 67 years in cinema and reflected on his extraordinary journey in the film industry.

Despite decades of experience, the ‘Indian’ actor described himself as the “oldest of Gen Z in cinema,” highlighting his continued desire to learn, evolve and keep pace with the changing world of filmmaking. Taking to X, (formerly known as Twitter) Kamal shared his thoughts on completing 67 years in cinema and reflected on his remarkable journey in the film industry. Haasan said that while he has spent 67 years in the film industry, he considers only around 20 of those years as his actual learning period. With his characteristic wit and philosophical outlook, he described the rest of his journey as simply “going with the flow.”

The actor also reflected on the larger journey of cinema. He noted that the film industry has existed for around 130 years since the Lumière brothers’ first public film screening in December 1895. His team reminded him that he has been part of more than half of that history.

The ‘Vikram’ actor wrote, “Thanks to all who wished me well on my 67 years of cinema. Out of those 67, I think I can only salvage about 20 years as my actual learning. The rest was going with the flow of the wastewater. The uplifting hope is, however dark the waterway turns out to be, the wait for a confluence with the largest singular form called the collective cinema, an unchannelled sea. We are all flowing towards it - artists, audience, and all.”

“So, I guess what I have salvaged as experience can be improved upon before people stop counting my years in this field and start looking for better numbers elsewhere. Since the Lumière brothers’ first public film screening in December 1895, the film industry has been around for approximately 130 years and 8 months.”

“My team reminded me that I have been around for 67 of those years, more than half of the entire history of the film industry! That is a rather extraordinary thought to take in. Yet, in my own account, I can claim only about 20 years as actual learning. I am probably the oldest of the Gen Z in cinema,” he added.

Kamal Haasan began his remarkable journey in cinema as a child artist. At just six years old, he won the Rashtrapati Award, also known as the President’s Gold Medal, for his performance in “Kalathur Kannamma.” He went on to appear in five more films as a child before making his debut in Malayalam cinema with “Kannum Karalum” in 1962.

Over the course of his illustrious career, Haasan has acted in more than 230 films across several Indian languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi, Kannada and Bengali.