The idea of `bullet curing cancer’ incident in the latest magnum opus Dasavathaaram was in fact brought from the life of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and film icon M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), Kamal Hassan revealed in a press conference in Kochi on Monday, while attending a promo his latest film in which he enacted ten roles. "It was not just a fabricated tale. When MGR was shot in the neck, it was feared that it would affect his vocal chords," he said.

"I had narrated this story to a director before narrating it to K.S. Ravikumar, the maker of Dasavathaaram. The former had said it would not work, but Ravikumar, who heard the idea over telephone, told me instantaneously that it would be a hit. I have worked two years on the movie,” the actor further said, adding that his beard is for his next film Marmayogi. “Marmayogi is being shot digitally with technicians from abroad."

Asked about the theme of Dasavathaaram, Kamal said that at first, there was no story. “I was given the ten-role idea first and I felt it was interesting. The story came later. I tried my best for maximum perfection. A good film cannot be made only with good story, but needs technical support also," Kamal said.

“We spoke months and months about it. We faced several problems, but we were always open to ideas. A lot of inputs have gone into the making of the movie. We had to spend one or two days exclusively for the rehearsal. It took two years to complete the project,” he said.

About the box office collection of the film, he said that the initial demand exceeded any other film in Tamil Nadu till now. “I have not seen or heard about such a huge collection in my career," he said. Reacting to the ongoing dispute in film organisations in Malayalam industry, Kamal opined that film is greater than organisation. “Organisations exist only when films do.”