49 Facts About Sivaji Ganesan

Villupuram Chinnaiya Manrayar Ganesamoorthy, better known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan, was an Indian actor and producer.

Sivaji Ganesan was active in Tamil cinema during the latter half of the 20th century.

Sivaji Ganesan is acknowledged as one of the greatest Indian actors of all time and among the most imitated one by other actors.

Sivaji Ganesan is the only Tamil actor to have played the lead role in over 250 films.

In 1997, Sivaji Ganesan was conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honour for films in India.

Sivaji Ganesan was the first Indian actor to be made a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

Sivaji Ganesan is remembered as an iconic figure of Tamil cinema.

Sivaji Ganesan was born on 1 October 1928, as the fourth son of Chinnaiya Manrayar and Rajamani Ammal in Villupuram, India.

Early in his career, Ganesan acted under the name V C Ganesan.

Media outlets said that the initial 'V' stood for Villupuram, though one of Sivaji Ganesan's sons stated that it stands for Vettaithidal, a village from which their family originates.

Sivaji Ganesan was trained in Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Manipuri dance forms.

Annadurai earned him the monicker "Sivaji Ganesan", which was conferred on him at a public function presided over by social reformer Periyar.

Perumal cast Sivaji Ganesan after being impressed with his performance as Nur Jahan in the Sakthi Nadaga Sabha play of the same name.

Sivaji Ganesan was paid a monthly salary of 250 for acting in the film.

Since actors who are well-trained in classical dance can effectively showcase expressions called Nava Rasa on their faces, Sivaji Ganesan went on to become one of the popular actors in Tamil cinema in the 1950s.

Andha Naal was a trendsetter in Tamil cinema because it had no songs and Sivaji Ganesan played an anti-hero.

Incidentally, Sivaji Ganesan was the first Indian actor to get an award for Best Actor abroad.

Sivaji Ganesan has acted in many Tamil movies co-starring with many popular and talented Tamil actresses of his time.

Sivaji Ganesan gave many commercial success films such as Palum Pazhamum, Irumbu Thirai, Padikkadha Medhai, Paava Mannippu, Padithal Mattum Podhuma, Aalayamani, Iruvar Ullam, Annai Illam, Aandavan Kattalai, Kappalottiya Thamizhan, Mahabharata, Kai Koduttha Dheivam, Puthiya Paravai and his 100th film, Navarathri whereby ganesan acted nine distinct roles in the film.

Sivaji Ganesan had comedic roles in several movies, such as Kalyanam Panniyum Brahmachari, Sabaash Meena, Ooty Varai Uravu, and Galatta Kalyanam.

Sivaji Ganesan played a variety of roles such as freedom fighters, like Tiruppur Kumaran, Bhagat Singh and epic characters like Karna, Bharatha, Narada, Appar, Nayanmars and Alwars.

Sivaji Ganesan played supporting role to Rajendra Kumar in the Hindi film Dharti in 1970, which was a remake of his 1969 Tamil film Sivandha Mann, in which he played the lead role.

The 1990s was a period in which Sivaji Ganesan started enacting matured roles.

Sivaji Ganesan acted with Mohanlal in the movie Oru Yathramozhi.

Sivaji Ganesan worked in Pooparika Varugirom, which released as his last film before his death, however the last film he worked in before his death was Padayappa.

Sivaji Ganesan has made many financial contributions during natural disasters and for the educational development.

In 1960, K Kamaraj introduced the Midday Meal Scheme for which Sivaji Ganesan donated one lakh rupees.

Sivaji Ganesan presented a 80 gram gold chain to P Kakkan, who was living in poverty, and he donated the entire proceeds from the play 'Thanga Padhakkam' which is held at the Salem Nehru Auditorium.

Sivaji Ganesan donated a large amount of money during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

Sivaji Ganesan has donated elephants to many temples like Venkateswara Temple, Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur.

Sivaji Ganesan started his political career as an activist of the Dravidar Kazhagam.

Until 1956, Sivaji Ganesan was a staunch supporter of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Sivaji Ganesan left the DMK and joined the Tamil National Party, which was founded by former DMK members.

In 1962, Sivaji Ganesan became a strong supporter of the Indian National Congress.

Sivaji Ganesan was made the Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Sivaji Ganesan himself was defeated by DMK candidate Durai Chandrasekaran in the Tiruvayaru seat by a difference of 10,643 votes.

Sivaji Ganesan later joined the Janata Dal under VP Singh and rose through the ranks to become the party's state president, but his political career came to an end in 1993.

Sivaji Ganesan married Kamala on May 1,1952 and had four children.

Sivaji Ganesan's younger son Prabhu is a notable Tamil actor.

Sivaji Ganesan had been suffering from a prolonged heart ailment for about 10 years.

When President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt visited India, Sivaji Ganesan was the only individual granted permission by the then-Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, to host a party for Nasser.

Sivaji Ganesan was the first artist from India to visit the United States, in the cultural exchange programme of the US government, in 1962, invited by the then-US President John F Kennedy, where he took the role of India's cultural ambassador.

The only other Indian who has had this honour before Sivaji Ganesan was Jawaharlal Nehru.

When Sivaji returned from America, there was a huge crowd to receive him at the Madras Airport and M G Ramachandran was there.

When Sivaji Ganesan returned from Egypt after winning the best actor award, there was a huge crowd to receive him at the Madras Airport.

The Columbus Tamil Sangam was formulated on that day and Sivaji Ganesan was made the honorary President of that association.

Sivaji Ganesan is considered one of the best Indian actors of all time.

Sivaji Ganesan was acknowledged as a consummate actor and one of the most imitated ones.

Sivaji Ganesan was praised for his body language and his resounding voice and dialogue delivery.