Robin Williams brought dignity to male crying: Kamal Haasan

Chennai: Actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan, whose "Chachi 420" was based on actor Robin Williams "Mrs. Doubtfire", mourns the death of the Oscar-winning star and also credits him for revolutionising the portrayal of men on the big screen and bringing dignity to male crying.

Williams was found dead Monday in his home in California. The suspected cause of death was suicide. He was 63.

"If the alleged story about his suicide is true then I dislike him for ending his life before his due date of expiry. That's a copout that I don't expect of an artist of his calibre. Same applies to my Indian idol Guru Dutt," Kamal Haasan said in a statement.

Kamal considers comedians as "critics of society".

"They have masked their anger with humour, constantly maintaining a funny facade leads to depression. Robin Williams' true nature is being quick to tears. You can see it in his films," he said.

Williams was popular for his roles in films such as "Good Morning, Vietnam", "Peter Pan" and "Jumanji".

"He could have never become a star in the 1960's, for American film heroes were too scared to cry on screen. The Vietnam War changed the American psyche," Kamal said

"Rambo was the first popular action hero to show panic cry and scream in fear. Robin Williams brought dignity to male crying. I like him for his talent," he added.