'Mirzapur' actor Lilliput recalls how Kamal Haasan got him 'Saagar' role; REVEALS his love story inspired 'Apoorva Sagodharargal'

Actor Lilliput recently looked back at an important moment from the early days of his career. In a new interview, he revealed that it was none other than Kamal Haasan who helped him secure a role in the film 'Saagar'.Speaking in a chat with Siddharth Kannan, Lilliput shared that Kamal had noticed his performance in a previous project. The superstar later remembered him when the film 'Saagar' was being planned. The movie, directed by Ramesh Sippy, also starred Rishi Kapoor. Recalling how the opportunity came his way, Lilliput said, “One day I went to Prithvi Theatre, and people told me, ‘Kamal Haasan is looking for you,’” he said, laughing as he remembered thinking it might be a prank.Soon after, he received an invitation from Kamal Haasan to meet him personally.Lilliput further spoke about the meeting that changed his career path. According to him, Kamal Haasan explained the role and why he thought Lilliput would be the right choice.Recounting the conversation, Lilliput said, “‘Come, come,’ he told me. ‘We are making a film called Saagar. There is a role, which is parallel to mine. It won’t work if it’s equal to my character. So I need someone slightly smaller. Go and meet Ramesh Sippy.’”Following that meeting, Lilliput went to meet director Ramesh Sippy. The meeting worked in his favor, and he was soon cast in the film.Saagar went on to become one of his early notable appearances on the big screen. During the same conversation, Lilliput also opened up about his experience working with Kamal Haasan on the sets of Saagar. According to him, the superstar was friendly and enjoyed spending time talking with him.“He enjoys a lot, he used to sit with me, we shared laughter. He would listen to me talk, try to understand my psychology, click my photos, and later went on to make Appu Raja,” he said.The actor suggested that Kamal Haasan showed deep interest in understanding him as a person. Their conversations on set often went beyond work and and it touched upon personal stories and life experiences.Lilliput believes that these conversations eventually influenced one of Kamal Haasan’s later projects.When asked if a character in Apoorva Sagodharargal was inspired by him, Lilliput made an interesting claim. The film, which featured Kamal Haasan in multiple roles, including a dwarf character, later became widely popular.According to Lilliput, parts of his own life story found their way into the film’s narrative. “He took my love story,” he said.When the interviewer asked whether Kamal Haasan had ever publicly credited him, Lilliput replied, “No.”He further explained the situation, saying, “That track of love and heartbreak was something I told him, but after a point, I didn’t tell him everything. But he kept that situation, and the way in one of the scenes he expressed it… Oh my God, it’s brilliant.”The origin of 'Apoorva Sagodharargal' has been discussed by Kamal Haasan in earlier interviews as well. In a conversation with media in 2020, the actor spoke about how he developed the idea of playing a dwarf in the film.He had reportedly drawn inspiration from Charlie Chaplin, who once performed a scene where his legs appeared shortened. Kamal Haasan then imagined expanding that concept into a full-length film.The actor had initially shared the idea with his mentor K. Balachander. However, the director was hesitant because Kamal had recently suffered injuries and the concept seemed risky.Balachander eventually included a small dwarf sequence for Kamal Haasan in the film Punnagai Mannan. The actor later treated it as a rehearsal before eventually making Apoorva Sagodharargal, a film that remains one of the most iconic works of his career.