Kamal Haasan also avoided meeting fans this birthday. ‘They wouldn’t like me hobbling on one leg and looking groggy with sedation. It gets awkward. This year, I’d rather be on my own.’ 

So is this the most unhappy birthday of his life? ‘No. My unhappiest birthday was my 16th birthday. I was aimless, directionless and without any purpose in life. My father called me and gave me a dressing down. I remember I locked myself in my room and cried bitterly. It is the only time I’ve cried on my birthday,’ he recalled.

The actor-filmmaker has plenty on his plate, all waiting for the leg to heal. ‘It’s truly frustrating. I want to get back on my feet. There is a film waiting to be completed. There is work to be done. But I am at home sedated against pain. It’s not a good feeling. All I ever wanted was work and someone at home to come back to.’ Over the weekend, IANS reported that Sabash Naidu, the film that was temporarily suspended because of Mr Haasan’s injury, will resume shooting in January.