Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Chennai Times
Chennai Times
AAYIRATHIL
ORUVAN
F
ilm stars and politicians have always en-
joyed humongous fan base in Tamil Nadu
as laymen connect with them instantly.
THE MGR MAGIC
LIVES ON
MGR was a great politician
and he was a very charis-
matic and good-looking ac-
tor as well. I acted with
him in Baghdad Thiru-
dan, and had found him to
be very courteous and po-
lite. My grandmother
used to accompany me
for the shoots, and MGR
made sure that every
To say that many do not mind offering
their lives for artistes and political lead-
ers isn’t an exaggeration as there have been many
such instances. There have been only a handful of
personalities in Tamil Nadu, who were blessed with
scene the film director
would first run it by my
grandmother and only
if she gave her ap-
proval, would he go
10
a fruitful career in both politics and filmdom. MG
Ramachandran, fondly known as MGR, is the name
ahead with the
shoot. No Tamil
BIGGEST
which stands tallest among them. Considered as the
‘messiah of the masses’, the actor-turned-politician
who became the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, was
hero ever did that.
That was him. He had an aura about
him, and at public events one had to just
BOX OFFICE
more like a family member for almost every house-
hold in the state. The legendary actor was the face I WAS AN ARDENT FAN OF go…M… G…, and before you could even
utter the third initial, the crowds would
HITS OF
of the state at a point of time, though his contem-
porary in the industry, Sivaji Ganesan, was the one
who refashioned the acting style in cinema. With a
SIVAJI GANESAN, BUT ADMIRED MGR
I have a lot of memories with Puratchi Thalaivar since
my childhood. One among them which I cherish is the
go hysterical. That’s the kind of sway he
held for the masses. Even when I was a
politician, and my Congress party had
MGR
knack of picking roles which had ample heroism prize he awarded me when I was in Law College. After an alliance with his AIADMK party in Nadodi Mannan
which the common man could relate to, he eventu- knowing that I was MR Radha’s son, he asked me to take the state, just the mention of his name
ally went on to become the epitome of stardom and care of my health. Later, I started acting in films and be- would send the crowds into a frenzy. Aayirathil Oruvan
leadership. He was the beloved ‘Puratchi Thalaivar’ came busy in filmdom, there came another occasion when Even today when he’s no more, the
Illustrations: Shreethar AP
for Tamilians across the globe. Like many celebri- he put a ring on my finger. This time, he appreciated my MGR magic lives on, and will live on Ullagam Sutrum
ties, his life, too, had fitness level and said, ‘You have a good physique, main- forever.
its own share of tain this always.’ I have been a Sivaji veriyan, and was — Vyjayanthimala Bali,
Valiban
controversies the head of Sivaji mandram in Trichy. But, I always liked actress
— be it his rela- him as a person and admired him. There was always a
Enga Veetu Pillai
tion with Jay- fire and valour in the roles he portrayed.
alalithaa, ac- —Radha Ravi, actor JUST THE En Thangai
tress and the for-
mer chief min-
MENTION OF HIS Rickshawkaran
ister of TN, the shoot- MGR WAS A CLOSE NAME WOULD Urimai Kural
ing episode which had FAMILY FRIEND SEND THE
another veteran artiste Since my mother, Soundra CROWDS INTO A Madurai Veeran
MR Radha in trouble, Kailasam, was part of the Cen-
any news which had sor Board then, she had a close FRENZY Adimai Penn
his involvement was association with MGR. He was
celebrated by people I HAVE BEEN — VYJAYANTHIMALA Oli Vilakku
our close family friend. I re-
like never-before. To- member how my mother was A SIVAJI
day is the 100th birth instrumental in getting him the HE LIKED PICHI POTTA
anniversary of the best actor award by the Government
VERIYAN, AND
cine icon, who con- of India when everyone thought Sivaji Ganesan WAS THE KOZHI AND MUTTON KOLA
tinues to inspire mil- would BALLS
lions of people be- win. My mother
HEAD OF MGR wasn’t too involved in politics back
longing to different walks of was a member of the selection committee and SIVAJI then, but was already a popular figure in films. I am talking about
life. It’s an irony that ‘Pu- she strongly recommended MGR’s name for the late 1950s and I was hardly around 12 years old then. I used to ac-
ratchi Thalaivi’ Jay- award. There’s another incident that’s still etched MANDRAM IN company my father to MGR’s shooting locations and served him
alalithaa is not with us food there. We opened a small mess in 1954 and served only Chet-
today for the milestone
in my memory. There was an event that was held TRICHY. BUT, I tinad cuisines. Two of his favourite dishes were pichi potta kozhi
at Children’s Theatre in Government Estate which
occasion, which oth- was attended by the likes of former Prime Min- ALWAYS LIKED (shredded boneless chicken) and mutton kola balls. He would or-
erwise would have ister Jawaharlal Nehru, former TN chief min- der them at least once a month. He would always order a bit extra
been celebrated with HIM AS A and get others at the shooting location to eat with him as well.
ister K Kamaraj, etc. MGR was not expected for
much pomp and gaiety. the event as he was only an actor then. But then PERSON AND — V Ganesan, co-owner of Ponnusamy Hotel
CT speaks to a few people my mother, who was a member of the organ-
who had close association ising committee, told everyone that she was
ADMIRED HIM
with the actor-politician, who the one who brought him there. — RADHA RAVI HE WAS A UNIQUE POLITICIAN
reminisce their memories of — Nalini Chidambaram, lawyer The political situations were not the same
him. then as it is now. He had a way of han-
dling issues in a distinct manner. A dy-
WE ARE REVIVING MGR’S PRODUCTION HOUSE namic leader, he expected everyone to
WHEN HIS FILMS My brother Sekhar and I have decided to revive MGR’s production house from to-
day, and we have begun working towards it. We are confident that we will make some
deliver their best, failing which he would
not hesitate to remove that person. When
WERE RE-RELEASED good films. It’s been 60 years since MGR started his production house, and the last
film that he made was, Ulagam Suttrum Valiban in 1973. My father Ravindran was
MGR bounced back victoriously in 1980,
despite an alliance between the Congress
A slew of MGR’s films — (Popularly known as Appu) MGR’s adopted son. Though we have been staying in T and DMK, I was attending Health Minister’s
Aayirathil Oruvan, Nagar for years, we will have our production office in MGR Gardens (Ramapuram). conference in Delhi when MGR phoned me and
Ulagam Sutrum Valiban, Our portion there was locked for years, and now we are in the process of renovating it, and asked me to meet Indira Gandhi. Moopanar was swift to get me an
Ninaithathai Mudippavan, setting it up as our office. All we want is to produce good films with good script. In fact, we are appointment with her. Upon walking into the room, she was very
and more — was re- looking to encourage new filmmakers, instead of opting for established ones. Since, it is MGR productions, we curious and asked, ‘I want to know if MGR is my friend or foe’, to
released in 2000s which have decided not to produce films which get ‘A’ certificate. MGR left us when I was just a nine-year-old, and we are which I replied, ‘that is exactly why I’m here to tell you, he’s your
saw his ardent fans, still in awe of the life he lived. He used to visit our home often when he travelled from secretariat to Arcot Road. friend, not just now but in the future also if our interests lie in the
belonging to different age In fact, it was he who named us. We are looking forward to sign a film in his centenary year. welfare of the people’.
groups, celebrate with great — Selvam, MGR’s grandson — Dr HV Hande, former health minister
fanfare.
Ashish.Joseph1@timesgroup.com, Logesh.Balachandran@timesgroup.com, Purba.Dutt@timesgroup.com, Thinkal.Menon@timesgroup.com and Atul Jacob Isaac
Praveen Tyagarajan