Today's Ajith/Vikram and Vijay ** Yester's Kamal and Rajni

* * But All Time Legendary is Sivaji and MGR

MGR is still a great role model. Bhagyaraj and then Ramarajan and Satyaraj they all acted as his 'vaarisu'. From Vivek to Chinni Jayant to Dhamu to Mayilsamy if you see them with a cap, sunglasses, scarf tied around the neck, bend the body to the left and raise the right hand up, then you know MGR still lives on! If you hear one of the most melodious black and white song, then you know it is from MGR's films.

The film star who shook the political world of Tamil Nadu. AIADMK, his party, is now the ruling party under Chief Minister Jaylalitha. He joined politics in 1953 as part of Dravida Munetra Kazhagam (DMK) but formed his own Anna DMK in 1972 which later became All India Anna DMK in 1977.

Known as the greatest human being, 22 people committed suicide in the hope their deaths would save him when he was critically ill in 1987. They refer to him as thrice born. Having survived a bullet wound when he was shot at by fellow actor M.R. Radha in 1967 (which affected his speech), he achieved demi-god status following a paralytic stroke in 1984 which he survived for three years thus acquiring the label 'thrice born'. When he died in 1987, his funeral procession was attended by over 2 million people!

Stands today in Chennai is MGR Film City.

A temple has been built in Madras with MGR as deity.

Marudur Gopalamenon Ramachandran was born in Kandy, Sri Lanka in 1917, his family moved to Tamil Nadu where they lived in poverty. When he was 6, he joined a theatre group - the Madurai Original Boys. Here he picked up acting, dancing and swordplay.

First movie Ellis R. Duncan's Sati Leelavathi (1936)

First breakthrough Rajakumari (1947)

We have a large collection of all his movies. List under construction.

Rajakumari (1947)

Marmayogi (1951)
Andaman Kaithi (1952)
Malaikallan (1954)
Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum (1955)
Madurai Veeran (1956)
Chakravarthi Thirumagal (1957)
Nadodi Mannan (1958)
Arasilankumari (1961)
Periya Idathu Penn (1963)
Ayirathil Oruvan (1965)
Thaikku Thalaimagan (1967)
Kanavan (1968)
Pudhiya Bhoomi (1968)
Mattukkara Velan (1969)
Nam Naadu (1969)
Engal Thangam (1970)
Ulagam Sutrum Valiban (1973)

My Memories of MGR....

People born in 1950s or before are MGR fans till today. I have known of many die-hard fans. When I grew up in Bangalore, I have come across many MGR paithiyams. (1) Decades later, in USA, I met MGR when he came to USA for treatment. [picture taken in 1984] He was Dr. Periyasamy's guest when he would get videos from my collection. There were quite a few movies he had not seen even though he acted in it and got them from me during that time. One such movie was PARISU with my favorite star Savitiri. (2) My mother never forgot one incident till she died at the age of 89. When MGR visited Pondicherry in the 70s he gave her his garland. (3) My best friend Mala's husband Chandran Rowland is a great fan of MGR. From audio to video to VCD to DVD, he has MGR's entire collection. 30 years in USA as a noted Chemist but even today in his spare time he watches only MGR's movies.