Kamal Hasan interview
How do you judge excellence? Where do you draw the line?

You can't draw a line for excellence. There is no end of excellence. It is the Peter Principle situation where you reach your level of incompetence. 



For me, Aalavandhan is passé. It's boring. Hey! Ram is a film I love not because it is a neglected child, but I feel it is a more complete film than even Virumaandi. The success or failure of it does not matter to me. Success matters to me to make another film. But after my death, certain films will give me respect, like novels left behind by good novelists.



Like which films?



Avargal, Hey! Ram. Mahanadi, Apoorva Sahodaragal, Thevar Magan, Moondram Pirai, Nayagan, Silangai Oli. These are timeless films. If you have noticed, I have not mentioned Indian or Swathi Muthiam.



I also like the films of others like Nirmalyam [M T Vasudevan Nair's first directorial venture. P J Anthony won the National Award for his performance in the film], is my all-time favourite. It might be boring, slow, not have been done well, but I have yet to see MT repeat it. It's a brilliant film. Even when MT is dead and gone, we will be talking about that film.



Another film that is timeless is [Guru Dutt's] Kaagaz Ke Phool.



Likewise, Sakala Kala Vallavan and all my films before Nayagan -- except for films like Silangai Oli and other intelligent ones -- the rest were crass. But they collected money and entertained people.