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K. Balachander is Rajarishi, says Kamal Haasan

S.R. Ashok Kumar

He released the audio cassette of Duet Movies "Poi" "I have taken the film in a different way. Let the people see it and decide"

CHANNAI: Director K. Balachander is Rajarishi, says Kamal Haasan and no one could agree more with him than superstar Rajnikant.

Kamal Haasan was releasing the audio cassette of Duet Movies "Poi" directed by K. Balachander on Sunday. Rajnikant received the first cassette.

Kamal Haasan said Balachander will always be remembered. "The first time I saw him was behind the stage during the enactment of his play Major Chandrakanth. I was introduced to him by Gemini Ganesan. It was entirely he who unearthed my talent and showed it to the world."

Rajnikant said K.B. was his guru as well as his best "rasikan." "As Dronachariar said it is the guru who selects his shishya and not the other way round. Likewise, he has selected us and we are fortunate to be his shishyas." K. Balachander said he had become younger by ten years. "When I came here I was full of nostalgic. The stage has all the forty years of my careers in still photographs and it has been a wonderful experience. When Prakash Raj wanted to conduct this function I was against it. But when he told that Rajnikant and Kamal Haasan were coming I accepted it."

"The title of the film is the brainchild of Vidyasagar who scored the music. I kept the title as "Ilamaipoigal" and when I told Vidyasagar he asked me why can't I keep it as only Poi".

"I have worked for nearly six months with only young people as all my casts are below 25 years only. So I feel that I have grown younger by 10 years. "Poi" does not have knife holding scenes, bloodshed or a big crowd. I have taken the film in a different way. Let the people see it and decide it".

Actors Sivakumar, Nagesh, yesteryear actor Jayanthi, poet Vaali, Prakash Raj and music director Vidyasagar spoke.

Some of the hit songs from the K.B. films were sung by S.P.B. Charan.

Yahyabai of Hit Cassettes and R. K. of Vcan were honoured.

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