Today is the 96th birthday of actor Thilakam Sivaji Ganesan, who is the eternal emperor on the throne of acting, a legend in the art world. In this collection, we will see about the artist who has shown his charms on the silver screen.
The fourth child born to Chinnaiyya and Rajamani from Villupuram on October 1, 1928, was named Ganesamoorthy.
Leaving home at an early age, Ganesamoorthy joined the Madurai Sri Balakan Sabha, run by Risiyasam Ponnuchami Pillai, and started acting in plays.
Then MR. Ganesamurthy, who had acted in Radha’s theater group and Sahasranamath’s theater group, played the role of the Maratha maternal uncle Veerashivaji in the play Sivaji Kanda Hindu Irajjiyam written by Perarinjar Anna.
Periyar, who saw the play staged at the Self-Esteem Movement Conference, named Ganesan, who played the role of Shivaji, as ‘Shivaji’.
The film Parashakti, which started in 1950, was released two years later, in 1952. Sivajiganesan became a sensational actor after Parashakti became a huge hit.
By 1953, Sivaji had acted in 7 films and by 1957, he had acted in 45 films. Then, by 1979, Sivaji finished acting in 200 films.
Sivaji Ganesan has been an acting minefield and acting wheeler, playing different roles in more than 300 films, starting from Parasakthi and till Pooparikkavaram, including 2 Hindi films, 9 Telugu films and one Malayalam film.
In the film ‘Bale Pandya’, Sivaji Ganesan, while acting in three different roles, has completed the entire film in just 11 days. Sivaji Ganesan never hesitated to act in many different roles during his time as a successful supreme actor and hero.
Sivaji Ganesan has acted opposite MGR in Koonduk Kili, opposite “Nadipisaip Bulavar” KR Ramasamy in Thuli Visham, as a cheater in women and back as an ungrateful husband in Illara Jyoti.
Sivaji Ganesan has shown his acting skills as a traitor who sells the secrets of the motherland to the enemy for selfish gain, in the film That Day, as the first “stylish” villain in the history of Tamil cinema, in the film Uttama Putran, and also in the villain roles in the films Iruvar Unam, Aayala Mani, New Bird, Deepam.
In 1963, Tamil Nadu Government Kalaimamani Award, in 1966, Central Government Padma Shri Award, then in 1984, Central Government Padma Bhushan Award, 1986, Annamalai University Doctorate, 1995 French Government Chevalier Award, 1997, Sivaji Ganesan has received several awards including the Dada Saheb Phalke Award, the highest award in Indian cinema.
It is worth noting that Sivaji Ganesan, the most prolific actor, never bagged the National Award for Best Actor till the end. It is true that actor Thilakam Sivaji Ganesan, who left an indelible mark on the Tamil film industry, had captivated Tamil cinema fans for more than half a century with his acting skills.
Sivaji Ganesan, who brought to life not only historical characters like Veerapandia Kattabomman, Kappalotiya Tamilan, Denali Raman, Karnan, Raja Raja Cholan, Arichandra, Maha Kavi Kalidas, but also mythological characters like Lord Shiva and Lord Muruga. Not too much.
Actor Thilakam Sivaji Ganesan is the one who set the grammar of acting and this country is proud to have him, said Karma Veerati Kamaraj.
When Sivaji Ganesan passed away in 2001, “You don’t need to know Tamil to understand his performance as Kattabomman. Former Prime Minister Vajpayee has praised Shivaji, a wonderful actor who showed that a sharp verse can cut deeper than a knife.
For Sivaji Ganesan, who poured out all the emotions on the silver screen with his performance, acting is not a profession but a breath of life. Shivaji Ganesan’s fame will last till the last fan of mankind.
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