This is Part 7 of Legends of Indian Cinema, our 20-part series on the actors, filmmakers and musicians who shaped Indian films across languages. New here? Start with Part 1: Dadasaheb Phalke, or read the previous part, Part 6: Guru Dutt.
In Tamil Nadu, he is simply Nadigar Thilagam, "the jewel among actors". Sivaji Ganesan acted in about 300 films over five decades. His thundering dialogue delivery, expressive face and astonishing range made him the model for generations of Tamil actors.
Early life and the stage
- Born Villupuram Chinnaiahpillai Ganesan on 1 October 1928 in Villupuram.
- He joined a touring drama company as a young boy and trained in acting, singing and dance on stage.
- He got the name "Sivaji" after playing the Maratha king Shivaji in C.N. Annadurai's play Shivaji Kanda Hindu Rajyam. Social reformer Periyar E.V. Ramasamy is said to have given him the title.
Parasakthi (1952)
His debut film, Parasakthi, had a fiery script by M. Karunanidhi. Its courtroom speech against social injustice became one of the most quoted scenes in Tamil cinema and made the young actor an overnight star.
Landmark roles
- Veerapandiya Kattabomman (1959): as the chieftain who defied the British, he won the Best Actor award at the Afro-Asian Film Festival in Cairo in 1960. He was the first Indian actor to win a best actor award at an international film festival.
- Kappalottiya Thamizhan (1961): he played freedom fighter V.O. Chidambaram Pillai.
- Navarathri (1964): he played nine different roles, his 100th film.
- Thiruvilayadal (1965): as Lord Shiva, in one of Tamil cinema's most loved mythologicals.
- Deiva Magan (1969): India's official entry for the Academy Awards, with Sivaji in three roles.
- Thevar Magan (1992): a powerful late role opposite Kamal Haasan that won him fresh praise from a new generation of film-goers.
Honours
- France made him a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1995.
- Padma Shri (1966), Padma Bhushan (1984) and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1996).
Legacy
Sivaji Ganesan died on 21 July 2001. His family continues in films through his son Prabhu and grandson Vikram Prabhu. The Sivaji Ganesan memorial in Chennai and countless mimicry acts of his famous dialogues show how deeply he lives on in Tamil culture.
Next in the series: Part 8: M.G. Ramachandran (MGR).
