Lokesh Kanagaraj has always spoken about being influenced by Kamal Haasan. So, it's no surprise to see two films starring the ace actor-storyteller in his list of favourite films. Read on:
Sathya
Director: Suresh Krissna
I'd place this Kamal Haasan-starrer film on top of my list. Back in the days of Video Cassette Recorders (VCR), when I first watched Sathya, I admired how differently the fight sequences had been shot. They felt realistic and different from any other film of the time.
Virumaandi
Director: Kamal Haasan
More than the authenticity and realism in the film, I loved the non-linear style of storytelling. In fact, this Kamal Haasan-starrer is the first movie with a non-linear narrative that I watched, and I went on to research non-linear storytelling. This led to me watch many other similar films.
Goodfellas
Director: Martin Scorsese
The performances in this film leave cinephiles shell-shocked. I'd make special mention of the 'Funny' scene with Joe Pesci, Ray Liotta and Robert De Niro. I watched it repeatedly to understand how someone can be taught to shoot a scene like that.
The Departed
Director: Martin Scorsese.
While I love a lot of Scorsese's films, I am very fond of 'The Departed'. It was the remake of a Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs, and I couldn't believe how well it was remade. It won multiple Oscars.
Django Unchained
Director: Quentin Tarantino
I love all of QT's films, but this is a favourite. It is so raw, stylish, a fantasy, and yet somehow believable. I like it because of the blend of all these elements.