Kamal Haasan pens note for Mani Ratnam on his birthday: 'Today you are a master inspiring the next generation of filmmakers'

Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan

On Mani Ratnam's 67th birthday, actor-politician Kamal Hasan penned a note for the filmmaker, whom he called "doyen of Indian cinema who has touched the hearts of millions."

Kamal, who lent his vocal prowess to Ratnam's 'Ponniyin Selvan 2', took to Twitter to pen the note: "If one were to count life by the happiness that they create around them and if age is calculated by the friends around you, my dear #ManiRatnam you are going to be a much older man today! A doyen of Indian Cinema who has touched the hearts of millions through his art and one who transformed dialogues into a lovely visual experience."

Haasan added: "You have constantly pushed the boundaries of cinema unmindful of the scale of challenge by constantly learning. Today you are a master inspiring the next generation of filmmakers through whom your legacy shall reverberate perpetually."

"From Nayakan to #KH234, our journey together has been personally rewarding and enriching for me. Many more happy returns of the day and more to come my friend! #HappyBirthdayManiRatnam."

Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam, two stalwarts of the Indian film industry, have collaborated on several iconic films that have left an indelible mark on cinema. Their collaboration has consistently showcased their creative synergy and a shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of storytelling. The two have collaborated for hit films like 'Hey Ram', 'Nayakan', 'Guna', and 'Aalavandhan'.

Suhasini Maniratnam, actor and wife of the ace filmmaker took to her Instagram feed and reshared the post penned by Haasan. Suhasini is also the niece of noted actor Kamal Haasan.

The two cinema legends, Kamal and Mani, are set to collaborate for a new film, which will mark their first project in 35 years since 1987's action-drama. The new film, which is Haasan's 234th feature effort, will be jointly produced by the actor's Raaj Kamal Films International, Ratnam's Madras Talkies and Udhayanidhi Stalin's Red Giant Movies.

Haasan last featured in Lokesh Kanagraj's 'Vikram'. He is currently working on 'Indian 2', which is directed by Shankar. Ratnam most recently directed the two-part epic 'Ponniyin Selvan-I & II', based on Kalki Krishnamurthy's 1955 novel of the same title. Both the films are currently streaming on Prime Video.