Dasavathaaram

Dasavathaaram (transl. The Ten Avatars) is a 2008 Indian Tamil-language science fiction action-thriller film directed by K. S. Ravikumar. It stars Kamal Haasan, who also wrote the script, in ten distinct roles, along with Asin, Jaya Prada, Mallika Sherawat, K. R. Vijaya, Rekha, Nagesh, P. Vasu, Raghuram, Napoleon and M. S. Bhaskar in subsidiary roles. The film focuses on scientist Govind, who's forced to steal a vial containing a deadly virus from his corrupt boss who intended to sell it to a terrorist nation, all the while he's hunted by an American mercenary named Christian Fletcher, an Indian police inspector named Balram Naidu and a set of dark events. Several other people also get involved in the process and all their stories connect after the striking of 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, thus bringing philosophical views into the picture.

The film, which had been under production for nearly three years, was produced and primarily distributed by V. Ravichandran. Primary filming locations included the United States and across Tamil Nadu in India. The soundtrack to the film's songs was composed by Himesh Reshammiya and the background scores was done by Devi Sri Prasad.

After delays in post-production, the film was released on 13 June 2008 in around 1300 prints worldwide and received positive reviews from critics. Though its Hindi version was an average success, the film was a massive success at the box-office, grossing US$46 million worldwide against a budget of US$14 million. This marks the last film role of Nagesh before his death on 31 January 2009.