COURTESY - MENAKA BASKARAN - NET
MGR the star creator
MGR is also responsible for launching the careers of some of the legendary heroines in Tamil cinema namely Saroja Devi and Jayalalitha. Although he was not the one who discovered them, by approving them to be his heroines, they became big stars overnight. Saroja Devi has said in interviews that after MGR booked her as his heroine in Nadodi Mannan, overnight she had 30 offers from other Tamil producers. Other actresses whose careers are closely tied to MGR are Manjula and Lata.
MGR was also responsible for boosting the career of lyrists Vaali after he had a fall out with Kannadasan over political issues. MGR was not afraid to give chances to new comers. He was ably ‘voiced over’ in songs by TM Sounderarajan so much that TMS was the voice for MGR (and Sivaji). At a time when it was unthinkable to have another singer sing for MGR, MGR OKed the choice of an unknown Telugu singer to sing for him. The song Aayiram Nilave Vaa eventually won the singer a National Award. The singer is SP Balasubramaniam! When Yesudass, who was already a legendary singer in Malayalam films wanted to break into Tamil films, he asked MGR for a chance. The result was Thanga Thoniyile for Ulagam Suttrum Valiban (SPB also has a song in that movie – Aval Oru Navarasa Naadagam). When Yesudass was facing a slump in his career in Tamil movies, again it was an MGR movie, Urimai Kural and the song Vizhiye Kadhai Ezudhu that boosted his popularity again as a play back singer.
MGR – the Shankar of his day
Long before Shankar came to define Tamil films with his big budgeted, high tech and stylish Tamil movies; MGR could be considered a pioneer in this field. MGR’s first directorial venture, Nadodi Mannan, was a big budget bonanza in those days. Although a black and white film, there was one song sequence in that movie with Saroja Devi which was in color. The film was blockbuster.
His next venture, Adimai Penn was also one of the most expensive movies of its time and was shot in never before seen locations for a Tamil movie. Again, it was another blockbuster. But the biggest one of them all was Ulagam Suttrum Valiban (USV) shot in locations in Kashmir, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Japan – totally unheard of for a Tamil film back then and which predated Shankar’s Jeans (and its many locations) by 24 years. USV also has the distinction of being the first Tamil movie which was subtitled in English for the Malaysian and Singapore market so that non-Tamils could see it. It would be 40 years later before Tamil films with English subtitles would make their presence felt again in this part of the world.
MGR introduces non-Tamil speaking actresses
In USV, MGR introduced a Thai actress Medha to Tamil audiences. Then in 1975 he invited Hindi actress Radha Saluja to be his heroine for the movie Idhaya Kani. Both Medha and Radha Saluja did not speak Tamil and their voices were dubbed. At that time the Tamil audiences looked upon these two actresses especially Radha Saluja with curiosity as she was not able to speak Tamil and have to resort to someone else dub for her.
MGR seemed to have recognized the merits and attraction of north Indian beauties for the Tamil audience especially men: their fair skin, sexy body and lack of inhibitions compared to south Indian actresses. Radha Saluja eventually disappeared from Tamil films. But who would have guessed that one day north Indian actresses with dubbed voices (because they could not speak the language) would rule the roost in Tamil films as proved by Nagma, Jyothika, Simran, Tamannah, Shriya and gang? In fact according to Behindwoods list of 10 top actresses in 2010, only Asin and Priyamani in that list use their own voice to dub (and they are not even Tamils!) The others including the only Tamizhachi in the list, Trisha (so far in her 10 year career in Tamil films she has dubbed in her own voice for only 3 movies) use only dubbed voices!
MGR’s influence and the changes he brought to Tamil cinema and politics are still being felt directly and indirectly today. He certainly was one of a kind and one doubts whether we will actually see another person like him with his sway over the Tamil people all over the world. He was a genius who controlled his image and his message to the people via a visual medium long before others in India realized how powerful cinema could be (nowadays its either TV or internet). His enemies can call him whatever they want but for his fans (and I am one) he will always be the Vadhiyar who taught us right and wrong and told people that they can stand up for their rights.
