Chennai, June 12 (IANS) Tamil film "Dasavathaaram", starring superstar Kamal Haasan and made on a whopping budget of Rs.1.3 billion, - the costliest Indian film ever made, is set to hit screens across the globe in two languages Friday.

About 1,000 prints of the film in Tamil and Telugu are being released. The apex court Thursday cleared the decks for its release by dismissing a plea by a Hindu sect that it would hurt the religious sentiments of some.

The film features the veteran actor in an unprecedented 10 different roles - creating a world record for the maximum roles in a single film. In more ways than one, the film is historic.

Cinema owners told IANS that they are booked for at least three weeks in advance.

Kamal leads a bevy of beauties led by Asin and Mallika Sherawat in the film shot in India and abroad. Some shots were even filmed under water.

Publicists said that its computer graphics' bill itself cost a mind boggling