Sivaji Ganesan
Who was Sivaji Ganesan?
How did Sivaji Ganesan get his screen name?
Why was Sivaji Ganesan called Nadigar Thilagam (“Pride of Actors”)?
Was Sivaji Ganesan’s political career successful?
Sivaji Ganesan (born October 1, 1928, Villupuram?, Madras Presidency [now in Tamil Nadu], India—died July 21, 2001, Chennai, Tamil Nadu) was a versatile star of Indian cinema. Along with M.G. Ramachandran and Gemini Ganesan, he dominated Tamil cinema during the 1950s–70s. He was admired for his portrayal of historical and tragic characters on-screen, earning the moniker Nadigar Thilagam (Tamil: “Pride of Actors”). Regarded as a method actor, he often drew comparisons to American actor Marlon Brando. Over the course of his illustrious career he starred in more than 300 films in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi languages. Although Ganesan ventured into politics, he could not replicate the success he found on-screen.
Early life
Ganesan’s place of birth is unclear, with some sources citing Sirkali and others citing Villupuram, both in what is now Tamil Nadu state. Born into poverty, he left home at a young age in order to join a boys’ acting troupe. In 1946 he made his mark playing the title role of the Maratha emperor Shivaji in Sivaji Kanda Hindu Rajyam (“The Hindu Kingdom Envisioned by Sivaji”), a play written by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK; Dravidian Progressive Federation) founder C.N. Annadurai. Among those in the audience was Tamil social reformer E.V. Ramasamy (“Periyar”). Impressed by Ganesan’s performance, Ramasamy bestowed upon him the nickname “Sivaji,” which endured as his screen name.
Acting career
Ganesan made his debut in the critically acclaimed film Parasakthi (1952; “The Supreme Goddess”) written by Muthuvel Karunanidhi, a founding member of the DMK and later Tamil Nadu chief minister. The film served as a vehicle for promoting the ideals of the Dravidian movement, which called for dismantling caste-based discrimination in Tamil Nadu. It was a sharp critique of religion and societal power structures, and its effectiveness was credited partly to Ganesan’s acting, especially his delivery of a prominent courtroom monologue.
Ganesan continued to excel in a variety of roles. In Uthama Puthiran (1958; “The Good Son”) he played dual roles as twins separated at birth. In 1959 he portrayed Veerapandiya Kattabomman, a legendary Tamil palayakarar (feudal chieftain of a small territory) who rebelled against the East India Company, in the film Veerapandiya Kattabomman. He starred alongside Gemini Ganesan in the historical drama Kappalottiya Tamizhan (1961; “The Tamil Helmsman”), portraying V.O. Chidambaram Pillai, founder of the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company (1906), which was established to challenge a British monopoly.
In Ganesan’s hundredth movie, Navarathri (1964; “Nine Nights”), he played nine different characters, each representing one of the navarasas, or the nine rasas—that is, nine states of emotion in Indian performing arts, including fear, anger, courage, and compassion. Some of his other notable hits include Karnan (1964), Thiruvilayadal (1965; “The Divine Game”), Thillana Mohanambal (1968), Deiva Magan (1969; “The Divine Son”), Raja Raja Chozhan (1973), Mudhal Mariyathai (1985; “Prime Honor”), and Thevar Magan (1992; “Son of the Thevar” [a prominent social caste in Tamil Nadu]).
Political career
Ganesan entered politics when the Dravidian movement was transforming Tamil society. However, unlike his peers Ramachandran and Jayaram Jayalalithaa, who each served as chief minister of Tamil Nadu, Ganesan was unable to achieve political stardom. He was associated with the DMK until 1957, when he was condemned by the party for visiting a temple—an act at odds with the party’s atheist stance.
In 1961 Ganesan joined the Indian National Congress (Congress Party) and remained a member for more than two decades. He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha (upper house of Parliament) in 1982 by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. In 1988 he left the Congress Party to form his own party, the Tamizhaga Munnetra Munnani (TMM; Tamil Progressive Front), which failed to win a single seat in the 1989 Tamil Nadu legislative elections. Later that year he merged the TMM with the Janata Dal party. His political career gradually faded in the early 1990s.
Death and legacy
Although Ganesan appeared in a few films during the 1990s, his health began to decline during the same period because of cardiovascular issues. He died at age 72 on July 21, 2001, in Chennai. He was accorded a state funeral, which was attended by thousands of fans.
Ganesan was one of the first Indian stars whose popularity transcended geographical borders. He became the first Indian to win the best actor award at an international film festival—the 1960 Afro-Asian Film Festival—for his role in Veerapandiya Kattabomman. In 1962 he visited the United States on a cultural exchange program, underscoring his status as a cultural ambassador for India. He was awarded the Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the government of France in 1995.
Ganesan was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, in 1966 and the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, in 1984. He was presented the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest cinematic honor, in 1996.