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I read this in some site some time back.
David America,
*அழுகையில் படம் பார்ப்போரை அழவைக்கும் நடிக வேந்தர்*
*விழுமிய பொருளையெல்லாம் விழிகளில் காட்டும் மன்னன்*
*எழுகடல் புவியில் எட்டாவதாய் வந்து*
*எழும கலைக்கடலாய் நின்ற சிவாஜி!.*
**
என்று கவியரசர் கண்ணதாசனால் பாராட்டு பெற்ற நடிகர் திலகம் திரு சிவாஜி கணேசன்
ஐயாவின் படங்களில் உங்களுக்கு பிடித்த படம்... அதில் உங்களைக் கவர்ந்த நடிகர்
திலகத்தின நடிப்பு இவை பற்றி இங்கெழுத அன்புடன் கேட்டுக்கொள்கிறேன்.
வாழ்க நடிகர் திலகத்தின் புகழ்!
**
அன்புடன்
டேவிட்
Reply by Sakthi sakthithasan,
அன்பின் டேவிட்,
நான் ஈழத்தில் இருந்த இனிமையான பொழுதுகளை எனது நினைவில் கொண்டு
வருகிறேன்.
" வசந்த மாளிகை @ எனது மனதை விட்டு அகலாத படம். ஈழத்தில் 235 நாட்கள்
தொடர்ந்து ஓடு வசூல் சாத்னையை ஏற்படுத்திய படம்.
முதலாவது நாள், ஜம்பதாவது நாள், நூறாவது நாள், நுற்றைம்பதாவது நாள்,
இருநூறாவது நாள், இருநூற்றி இருபத்திஜந்தாவது நாள் என ஜந்துமுறை
இப்படத்தை நானும் எனது உற்ற நண்பனும் பார்த்தோம்.
அவரது நடிப்பு, கொடுக்கப்பட்ட வசனத்தை உணர்ச்சிபூர்வமாக பேசும் பாவம்,
கண்ணதாசனின் கருத்து மிகு பாடல்கள், அவற்ரிற்கு அற்புதமாக KVM அளித்த
இசை. இவையனைத்தும் ஒன்றிணைந்து அந்தப்படத்தை மிகவும் தரம் வாய்ந்த படமாக
மாற்றியிருந்தது.
இங்கே எனக்குப் பிடித்த இரு காட்சிகளை விபரிக்கிறேன்
1) குடிகாரனாக இருந்த சிவாஜி கணேசனை, மாற்றி ஒரு நல்ல மனிதனாக
ஆக்குகிறார் வாணிஸ்ரீ, அதுவரையில் சிவாஜி கணேசன் இருந்த இடத்தைக்கூட
திரும்பிப் பார்க்காத வரது அண்ணணும், அண்ணியும் அவரின் மாற்றத்தைக்
கண்டதும், சொத்தை தமக்குள் வைத்துக் கொள்வதற்காக அண்னியின் தங்கையை
அவருக்கு மணம் பேசுகிறார்கள். ஆனால் சிவாஜி கணேசனோ தனது மனதை
வாணிஸ்ரீயிடம் பறிகொடுத்து விட்டார். அவரது அண்ணணாக பாலாஜி
நடித்திருந்தார். இதோ அந்தச் சம்பாஷணை.
பாலாஜி : எப்படிப்பட்ட பெண்ணை உனக்குப் பிடிக்கும் ?
சிவாஜி கணேஷன்: ஆடம்பரமில்லாத அழகு, அந்தஸ்தைப் பார்க்காத அன்பு
பாலாஜி : அப்படிப்பட்ட பெண் யாரையாவது நீ விரும்புகிறாயா ?
சிவாஜி: நான் விரும்பும் பெண் எனக்குத் தேவையில்லை, என்னை விரும்பும்
பெண்தான் எனக்குத் தேவை
இந்தக் காட்ச்சியில் சிவாஜி கணேஷன் தனது வசனங்களை பேசும் போது உதட்டால்
பேசவில்லை. உள்ளத்தால் பேசினார், அத்னால் தான் அவர் நடிகர் திலகம்.
2) இரண்டாவது காட்சி, தனது மனதில் இடம் பிடித்த பெண்னைக் காட்டுவதாகக்
கூரி வாணிஸ்ரீயை வசந்தமாளிகைக்கு அழைத்துச் செல்கிறார், அங்கே அந்த வசந்த
மாளிகையையும், அதற்குச் சொந்தக்காரியாகிய தன் மனங்கவர்ந்தவளையும் பற்றி
விபரிக்கும் போது
" இறைவன் மட்டும் எனக்கும் பறக்கும் சக்தியைக் கொடுத்திருந்தால்,
அகாயத்திலே பறந்து சென்று அந்த நிலவை எடுத்து வந்து இந்த வசந்தமாளிகைக்கு
வண்ணவிளக்காக அலங்கரித்திருப்பேன், வானத்திலே மின்னும் நட்சத்திரங்களை
எடுத்து வந்து தோரணங்களாக தொங்க விட்டிருப்பேன், ஆனால் இறைவன் தான்
எனக்கு அந்த சக்தியை கொடுக்கவில்லையே ! என்ன செய்வேன்? என்ன செய்வேன் ? "
இந்த வசனத்தைப் பேசும் போது காதல் உணர்ச்சிகள் மாறி, மாறி அவர் முகத்தில்
வந்து அலைமோது, தமிழ் அப்படியே கணீரெனேஉ ஒலிக்கும். நடிகர் திலகத்திற்கு
நிகர் அவரேதான்.
அன்பின் டேவிட் அருமையான இழை ஆரம்பித்ததுக்கு என் நன்றிகள்
அன்புடன்
சக்தி
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Thanks for your tremendous posts Mr. abkhlabhi.
Mr. Sakthidasan & his friend are blessed as they have seen NT's VM at Ceylon on its First, 50th, 100th, 150th, 200th & 225th day. Incomparable feat ! Hats off to both of you !!
Regards,
Pammalar.
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1945-ன் இறுதி நாட்கள் (அல்லது 1946-ன் ஆரம்ப நாட்கள்). திராவிடர் கழகத்தின் ஏழாவது சுயமரியாதை மாநாட்டிற்காக சென்னை எஸ்.ஐ.ஏ.ஏ. திடல் களை கட்டியிருந்தது. கழகக் கண்மணிகள் உற்சாகத் துள்ளலில் இருந்தனர். நான்கு நாட்கள் நடைபெற இருந்த மாநாட்டில், நான்காம் நாள் சிறப்பம்சமாக "சிவாஜி கண்ட இந்து சாம்ராஜ்யம்" மேடையேற இருந்தது. மாநாட்டிற்கு கழகக் காவலர் தந்தை பெரியார் தலைமை தாங்கினார். மூன்று நாட்கள் மாநாடு சிறப்புற நடைபெற்றது.
நான்காம் நாளின் சிகரமாக "சிவாஜி கண்ட இந்து சாம்ராஜ்யம்". ஆர்ப்பரிக்கும் அடலேறுவாக மாவீரன் சத்ரபதி சிவாஜி வேடத்தில் வி.சி. கணேசன். அண்ணாவின் வசனங்களை இது போல் இனி எவரும் பேசி நடிக்க முடியாது என்கின்ற அளவுக்கு, உச்சத்திற்கு முழங்கினார். சிவாஜியின் வேடத்தில் வாழ்ந்து காட்டினார். எதற்கும் ஆடாத பெரியாரே ஆடிப் போனார்.
நாடகம் முடிந்ததும் பாராட்டி மகிழ வைக்கம் வீரர் மேடையேறினார். கணேசன், சிவாஜியாகவே நாடகத்தில் மாறியிருந்ததைக் கண்டு, "இன்று முதல் நீ வெறும் கணேசல்ல, சிவாஜி கணேசன்" என்று மனமாரப் பாராட்டினார், வாயார வாழ்த்தினார். அன்று முதல் விசிஜி சிவாஜி ஆனார்.
நாடகத்தில் மடாதிபதி காகபட்டராக அண்ணாவும் சிவாஜியுடன் கலக்கியிருந்தார்.
இந்த சம்பவங்களுக்குப் பின் அண்ணாவின் அன்புக்குப் பாத்திரமான அவரது செல்லப்பிள்ளையானார் சிவாஜி கணேசன்.
ஈரோட்டுச் சிங்கம் சிங்கத்தமிழனை "சிவாஜி" என்றார். பின்னர், அகிலமே அவரை உலக நடிகர் திலகமாகப் போற்றியது. இன்றும் போற்றுகின்றது.
பேரறிஞர்-நடிகர் திலகம் தகவல்கள் தொடரும் ...
அன்புடன்,
பம்மலார்.
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ஆகா ! பம்மலார் சேவை இந்த திரிக்கு தேவை :D
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இந்த வார (23.9.2009) ஆனந்த விகடன் இதழில் "ஹாய் மதன்" பகுதியில் வந்துள்ள ஒரு கேள்வி-பதில் :
பராசக்தி திரைப்படத்தில் இடம்பெற்ற பாடல்களில் தங்களைக் கவர்ந்த பாடல்? (ஆர்.கே. லிங்கேசன், மேல்கிருஷ்ணன்புதூர்)
கா..கா..கா.. பாட்டு. அதற்குப் பிறகு இன்று வரை எந்த ஹீரோவும் காக்காவைப் பார்த்து பாடவில்லை என்று நினைக்கிறேன்.
சற்றே வித்தியாசமான பதில் !!!
கா..கா..கா.. பாடலை இயற்றியவர் உடுமலை நாராயண கவி. இசையமைத்தவர் ஆர்.சுதர்சனம். பாடியவர் சி.எஸ்.ஜெயராமன். திரு. ஜெயராமன் அவர்கள் பராசக்திக்கு முன் பல படங்களில் பின்னணி பாடியிருக்கிறார். ஒரு சில படங்களில் தானே பாடியும் நடித்திருக்கிறார்.ஆனால் ஸ்டார் சிங்கர் ஆகவில்லை.
சிதம்பர ரகசியமாக இருந்த சிதம்பரம் ஜெயராமனின் குரல், பட்டி தொட்டி எங்கும் ஒலிக்கும் பிரபலக் குரலானது பராசக்தி கணேசனின் பாட்டுச் சக்தியால் தான் என்றால் அது மிகையில்லை. இதிலிருந்து தெரிகிறதல்லவா ! நடிகர் திலகம் கைதேர்ந்த கைராசிக்காரர் என்று !!
அன்புடன்,
பம்மலார்.
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Been following your posts, Pammalar sir. Great posts. :D
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Navarathri greetings to all Sivaji fans.
NT's 100th Film, Navarthri on Astro Vellithirai now. :D
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அன்று நடந்த அரிய பல விஷயங்களை அள்ளி வழங்கும் 'பம்மலார்' அவர்களுக்கு பாராட்டுக்கள்... வாழ்த்துக்கள்... நன்றிகள்.
இன்னும் பல விஷயங்களை அறிந்து மகிழ்வுறக் காத்திருக்கிறோம்.
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http://www.srikumar.com/movies/tamil/sivaji_ganesan.htm
Sivaji ganesan
1) Original Name : V.C.GANESAN (Villupuram C.Ganesan)
2) Popular Name : SIVAJI GANESAN -- the title "Sivaji" was given to Ganesan by the great Rationlist,Thanthai Periyar E.V.R.Ramasamy for his best performance in the role of Sathrapathy Sivaji in the stage play "Sivaji kanda Indu Saamraajyam" in the year 1946.
3) How Became An Actor: When he was 9 years old he ran away from his house. Nobody knew his whereabouts. After many days his mother and elder brother happened to trace him at a place near Trichirapalli where "Kampalaththaan Kooththu" a popular folk drama was taking place. Kattabomman's story was being enacted on stage in that Kooththu. Ganesan was very much interested in that particular drama. Even at that small age he had vowed that one day he would become an actor and do Kattabomman's role on stage.
Ganesan's mother brought him back to their house. She arranged through her elder son to get a placement for Ganesan in one of the popular drama troupes. Thus Ganesan first became a stage actor.
4) First film : His first film is "Paraasakthi". It was released in the year 1952.
5) Great Turning Point: "Parasakthi" was a great turning point not only in Sivaji Ganesan's acting Career but also for the entire Tamil Cinema Field. Before that there were mainly either Raja Rani Stories or religious and mythological stories with a number of songs which had great sway among Tamil Cinema audience. But "Paraasakthi" was a social film with revolutionery themes and lesser number of songs. More over the heart - catching, fiery dialogue by Kalaingar Karunanidhi made the film a super revolutionery one in terms of it's trend- setting nature and it's overall reformative impact on society.
6) Milestones : The Greatest Merit of Sivaji Ganesan is that no other actor either in Tamil Cinema or Indian Film Industry or in the whole
World has done such a great number of roles and acted in such a great varieties of roles depicting real life- like characters on screen and no other actor's acting carreer is so much saturated with such a great number of milestones in terms of unimaginable achievements as in that of sivaji Ganesan.
7)Meritorious Awards:
1) The Best Actor Award won in Afro- Asian Film Festival held in Gairo, Egypt in 1960.
2) Padmasri Title - 1966.
5) Padmabhushan Title - 1984
4) Chevalier Award of France 1995.
5) Dadha Saahib Paalkhe Award 1997.
8)Meritorious Qualities :
1) Modesty.
2) Punctuality.
3) Make-up Aptness and Physical Fitness that suit with 100% exactness any sort of role from Prince to Beggar and the Rugged Character to the Cultured Elite!
4) Infinite Veriety In Acting And Dialogue -Delivery - An Unreachable Feat by any other World Level Actor.
9)Unique Achievment: The No 1 ranked Actor the World has ever seen.
10) Ambition: Wants to act until the last breath of life and he would be even more happy, he once said, should his physical existence comes to an end while acting.
11) Total Number Of Films: Around 300
12) Mother Tongue: Tamil
13) Native Place: Villupuram, a small town in South Arcot district, in Tamilnadu, India.
14) Academic Education: III std, at the preliminary level of school education.
15) Father's Name: P.Chinniah Mandraayer. Though poor was very rich in his sprit of patriotism! Was imprisoned many number of times for his continued support and participation in the then Indian Freedom Stuggle under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. Jail become his second home.
16) Mother's Name: Rajamani Ammal. While her husband was in prison she had to undergo all sorts of hardships to feed her children and maintain the family.Lack of food made them at times to forgo food.
17) Marriage: Married Kamala, already a relative of him, who was a resident of Nagappattinam near Trichirappalli, Tamilnadu. This couple begot two male children later named Ramkumar and Prabhu, and two female ones Shanthi and Thenmozhi. Today all the four are married. Ramkumar looks after and manages Sivaji Films. Prabhu has become one of the busiest, leading heroes of Tamil Cinema.
18) Political Affiliations: From his first film onwards he was considered to be a staunch D.M.K. party sympathiser. After 1955 some dramatic changes took place. He was a neutralist for some years.
But at the end of 1961 he become a strong supporter of Congress Party. In that year he took part and delivered an address in the state Congress party Conference in which the then Prime Minister Pandid Jawaharlal Nehru and Kamarajar were the main participants. In 1982 Mrs.Indira Gandhi made him the Rajya sabha M.P. After 1687 came out of Congress and floated his own Political Party. 2 years latter became President of Tamilnadu faction of Janata Dal. After a few years he quit politics.
19) Honours Bestowed Upon Sivaji Ganesan: In 1962 Sivaji Ganesan toured America as its Special Guest. There, he was given one of the highest houours of being the Mayor of Niagara City for one day. After Prime Minister Nehru, Sivaji was the only Indian to get this honour.
In Hollywood he met world famous actors like Marlon Brando and some leading Cinema technicians.
Egyptian President Naasar, Singapore former Prime Minister, Ceylon President Chandrika, Indian former Prime Ministers Nehru, Indra Gandhi, V.P. Singh, former President Dr. Radhakirishnan, former Governer -General Rajaji, former Chief Ministers Kamarajar and Annadurai, Present Chief Minister Kalaignar Karunanidhi, Ex-Chief Ministers M.G.R., RamaRao and Jayalalitha were not only his associates but his very great admirers too!
What "Pillaiyaar Chuzhi" is for Letters (Yezhuththu), Sivaji Ganesan is for acting. Without touching him or starting with him the dictionary of acting won't get completed. Actor Raj Kapoor has earned for himself respect and recognition in world countries. Like that among our South Indian actors Sivaji Ganesan has done us proud by his world level popularity. Wherever Tamils live there the name of Sivaji Ganesan has become the household word for them.
It is an 100% established fact that Sivaji has accomplished the rare feat or achievement of committing his entire life for the sake of the art of acting!
Among the world famous actors, each of them has an individuating, unique style and method of his own in acting. But we can see in the one single actor Sivaji, all these different styles and talents are put together that he is able to portray in his acting any such particular style in the most perfect manner possible. If we try to scan his acting abilities with the help of a computer, we would be greatly startled and astonished. Even Steven Spielberg who created the Dino through computer would remain helpless had he been entrusted with the assignment of scanning Sivaji's acting abilities in a computer. To explain and criticise Sivaji's acting ability one is expected to be endowed with special talents.
May be the number of films acted by Sivaji are more than 300. But the number of character roles and kinds of 'abhinayas' portrayed in those films by Sivaji are really countless and innumerable! It would make anyone wonder whether his physical features were especially created for the express purpose of acting! He has got such an unbelievable and beautiful type of cinematic facial shape and get-up that one could film his facial features in all the 360 degree angles with equal beauty, charm and captivating enchantment. His eyes - if we look at them at close range,would seem as if prominently standing out and flashing forth brightness. His voice - would be roaring like lion! At the same time it (his voice) is also capable of bringing out the breezy softness of feminine nicety, whenever it is required.
From his boyhood to his youth he has put on different feminine get-ups and attires and has acted in the vastly different roles of national and world famous women characters! He has acted in the character role of Noor Jahaan as well as that of Mumtaj. The filmi characters of the popular film "Manohara" like the hero Manoharan, his mother Pathmavathi, father Purushoththaman, Vasantha Senai, her son 'asadan' Vasanthan---all these different character roles have been acted in perfect manner on different occasions by the single actor Sivaji in "Manohara" stage drama!
The quality of acting that Sivaji had shown in his performance in the feminine role of Padmavathi in "Manaohara" drama has not been matched even by such a great and fine actress like Kannamba who did that role in the film "Manohara", some critics say!. That's the unique feat of Sivaji. That feminine nicety that marked it's stamp in his acting in dramas didn't part ways with Sivaji later during his cinematic career too. Whenever he acted in such soft character roles in cinema, those past, stage experiences of having acted in feminine roles helped him a lot. In the film "Theiva Mahan", the second son Vijayan's style of walking, his mannerisms, abhinayas etc. are an example for this. Those characters of Puranas and epics as were depicted in books in the form of writing, that of photos and paintings were all shown before our very eyes when Sivaji acted in such roles in films which remains one of his great achievements. Apart from these he has accomplished yet another great feat by way of registering in the minds of the audiences with the never-dying memories of such unforgettable, popular character roles like the following : Gunasekaran in "Parasakthi", Muththaiyan in "Kalvanin Kaathali", Sengoden in "Makkalai Petra Maharaasi", Parthiban and Vikraman (double roles) in "Uththama Puththiran", Rengan in "Padikkaatha Methai" Kannaiyan in " "Bhagappirivinai", Raja Sekar in "Paasa Malar", Sikkal Shanmuga Sundaram in "Thillana Mohanambal", Shankar, Kannan, Vijayan (triple roles) in "Theiva Mahan", Bharath in "Sivantha Mann", Prestige Padmaba Iyer in "Vietnam Veedu", Mookkaiya Servai in "Pattikkaadaa Pattinamaa", Barrister Rajni Kaanth in "Gouravam" etc., etc.
When acting in extreme type of emotive scenes the eyes of Sivaji would seem reddish in colour. In colour films this would be seen in a crystal clear manner. That's not because of the application of any ointment. Whenever Sivaji acts emotionally or delivers dialogue ferociously or shows vigorous facial expressions, instantly his eyes would turn reddish automatically. When he comes back to normalcy his eyes would also turn to normal colour.
When we talk about 'eyes', the different character roles Sivaji has done in Purana films come to our memory. There is a saying that our Gods always keep their eyes open. Neither they would wink their eyes nor sleep, it is said so. In the film "Thiruvilaiyaadal" Sivaji who has acted as Siva Peruman has in none of the scenes winked his eyes! For us even to take note of that point while seeing the film becomes a strenuous job.
If we join our friends in the playful game of trying to keep our eyes wide open for a long time, without doing any winking, then tears would naturally fill in our eyes with some irritating sensation. But putting on heavy costumes and ornaments on the body, speaking long dialogues in the midst of eye-blinding bright lights during film-shooting and at the same time keeping the eyes wide open without closing them even for a fraction of a second is not an easy job indeed! But Sivaji has managed it very easily. Not only that. While he was dancing in the 'Ruthra Thaandavaa' scene in the film he didn't at all wink his eyes. Now one could understand how great a trouble and pain Sivaji might have taken for doing that role with that much perfection and grammar!
As said above, in cinema, Sivaji has accomplished so many number of great feats. One of them is that he has, more than any other actor, acted in countless number of close-up shots in multi-different scenes. He has given infinite variety of expressions during such close-up shots. To shoot such remarkable close-ups of Sivaji it is a pre-requsite that the cameraman also has special abilities and creative tastes!
To-day there has been so many novel, technical advancements that the modern negative film has got special qualities that bright lighting during shooting won't hurt either the artists' eyes or body, nowadays. 25 years back such advancements were not there. There was only one type of film then. That needed too much lighting for shooting. Without make-up one can not withstand the effects of such lighting.
If such was the condition inside the studio sets in those days, the situation at out-door shooting locations would be much more horrible. In the broad day-light and at the peak hours of the burning sun one had to face the most unbearable heat-waves! The reflectors used for shooting on such hot days made the worse things worst! It was under such grim and hard conditions that Sivaji had to do most of his films during his peak days in cinema!
The 'Pillaiyar Chuzhi' for Sivaji's acting was drawn by a 'theru kooththu' drama (folk drama) titled "Veera Pandia Kattabomman". Only on seeing that he developed a craze for acting and joined 'Boys Company', a popular drama troupe! Even after his entry into cinema and even while his popularity was going on growing day by day, he didn't forget 'Kattabomman'. Through his 'Sivaji Nadaka Mandram' he enacted that drama on stage for 100 times! Even many more times it could have been enacted had not his throat got hurt and started bleeding because of his ferocious dialogue delivery. While he was acting in the climax scene he delivered emotional dialogue against Banerman, he bleeded and fell unconscious! All were shocked. It was that film enacted by him taking that much serious risks that fetched him the "Best Actor Award" at the Afro-Asian Cinema Festival at Cairo, Egypt in the year 1960! He was the first Indian actor to get such a Foreign Award.
In "Neethi" film excepting a single song scene he was wearing pant and shirt in the same colour throughout the film. He didn't bother about his image and all. Like that in the matter of continuity in costumes also his memory power is remarkable! Having acted wearing a particular dress in a scene and during when the shooting resumes after a gap of a number of days, even when the costumer forgetds the continuity in costume matter Sivaji won't forget that and he would ask for the right dress to wear.
By the help of the mere photographs (stills) one could clearly find out and name the different films of Sivaji. He is that much careful to change his make-up and overall get-up from film to film! To-day many leading artists are reluctant to wear wigs. Even those with slight baldness near forehead, try to manage without wig by pulling up the hair from the back portion of their head towards the front-side! But Sivaji inspite of his having beautiful, curled, original hair in most of his films he has used wigs. He himself applies finishing touches to his moustache and eyebrows!
For the role of Appar in "Thiruvarutchelvar" he has spent three hours daily for his exclusive make-up. To wipe it out an hour. To act in that role he has considerably reduced the quantity of in-taking food in order to make his body a little more lean.
In "Theiva Mahan" Sivaji has acted in the dual roles of father and son with a face that looks as if charred by fire. Whenever removing that make-up after the day's shooting his face's original skin also got stripped out here and there. After the regrowth of skin again the same make-up and same pain-taking!
In the beginning Sivaji exhibited his exceptional ability in dialogue delivery while he was acting in films penned by such towering personalities like Kalaignar Mu. Karunanidhi, Sakthi T.K.Krishnasamy, A.P.Nagarajan and so on. Afterwards Sivaji acted in films which gave importance to facial expressions. Those were films with sound story value.
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'Sivaji and I were considered lucky'
Gemini Ganesan
Gemini Ganesan and Sivaji Ganesan were contemporaries.
The grapevine is that they never were good friends.
Sivaji Ganesan might have received all the applause while the other Ganesan had not been that lucky as far as awards and titles were concerned.
But Gemini Ganesan was one of the first persons to reach Sivaji’s residence to pay respects to his colleague:
I think it was 1950. I was working as the casting director at Gemini Studios.
Sivaji came to the studio one day with a recommendation letter from the late director A S A Swamy. That was when I met him for the first time. I had remarked in my book that Sivaji had a very expressive face and that he could become a good actor. He did.
In 1952, I quit Gemini Studios and joined the Narayana Company. That was when I got to see Parasakthi, Sivaji’s first film. I thought he acted very well in the film.
Our first film together was Pennin Perumai by P Pullaih. It ran so well that many filmmakers wanted to cast Savitri (the heroine), Sivaji and myself together in films. They felt our combination would work wonders at the box office.
It was director Bhim Singh who made the maximum number of films with the three of us, like Pathi Bhakti, Paasa Malar, Parthal Pasi Theerum, etc. I think Sivaji and I must have acted together in at least nine dozen films. Quite remarkable, I feel.
After a gap of about 15 years, in 1975, we worked together again in Unakkaha Mann. It was produced by our good friend Balaji. After that we never acted together in a film again.
I feel he has lived a full life. Still, it is unfortunate that Tamil film world lost a legendary actor.
As told to Shobha Warrier
