M. G. Ramachandran
- In this Indian name, the name "Maruthur Gopala" is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name, "Ramachandran".
| Maruthur Gopala Ramachandran Menon (மருதூர் கோபால இராமச்சந்திரன்) |
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| Born | January 17, 1917 Nawalapitiya, Sri Lanka |
| Died | December 24, 1987 (aged 70) Chennai, India |
| Occupation | Actor, director, producer, politician |
| Spouse(s) | Thangamani, Sathanandavathi, V.N.Janaki |
Maruthur Gopala Ramachandran Menon (Tamil: மருதூர் கோபால இராமச்சந்திரன்; Malayalam: മരുതൂര് ഗോപാല രാമചന്ദ്രന്) (January 17, 1917 – December 24, 1987), popularly known as M. G. R. (Tamil: எம்.ஜி.ஆர்; Malayalam: എം.ജി.ആര്) or Puratchi Thalaivar (Tamil: புரட்சி தலைவர்; English: Revolutionary Leader), was a Tamil film actor and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from 1977 until his death.
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Early life
M. G. R. was born in Nawalapitiya near Kandy, Sri Lanka, to Gopala Menon and Maruthur Satyabhama (Nairs and Ezhavas are traditionally matrilineal, hence MGR shares his matrilineal family surname "Maruthur"). His family was originally from Vadavannur,Palakkad, Kerala, but his father had migrated with his family to Sri Lanka.[1][2]
After his father's death, he could not pursue his studies beyond the primary stage due to poverty and joined a drama troupe called Original Boys. Gaining considerable experience on stage, he entered the world of cinema, becoming an actor, and later a director, producer, and editor. M. G. R. married Bargavi also known as Thangamani a villager who died early due to illness. He later married Sathanandavathi who also died soon due to tuberculosis. His third wife was V.N.Janaki, a former actress. She did not divorce her husband Ganapati Bhat, and got married to him. He did not have any biological children, only a stepson from V. N. Janaki's prior marriage to Ganapati Bhat, his name is Janaki Surendran.[3]
Acting career
Making his film debut in 1935, in the film Sati Leelavati[4], directed by Ellis Dungan, an American born film director[5], M. G. R. dominated Tamil cinema for many decades as a commercial entertainer and a favourite hero. Generally starring in romance or action films, M. G. R. got his big breakthrough in the 1947 film Rajakumaari, written by M. Karunanidhi. He rose to stardom by playing characters that portrayed him as the saviour of the poor. His movies were the medium of communication for the Dravidian movement. For the next twenty-five years he remained one of the biggest celebrity in Tamil cinema. He was shot by fellow actor Mohan R. Radha, affecting his ability to speak clearly. He won the National Film Award for Best Actor for the film Rickshakaran. His film Nadodi Mannan, which was produced and directed by himself and released in 1956, was re-released in 2006 and ran house full shows in Tamil Nadu for 14 weeks.[6]
Political career
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Dravidian political parties |
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Dravidian movement |
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Defunct Dravidian parties Justice party |
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Contemporary Dravidian parties Dravidar Kazhagam |
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Chief Ministers from Dravidian parties
C. N. Annadurai |
MGR was a member of the Congress Party till 1953 and he used to wear kathar. In 1953 MGR joined the DMK with the help of M. Karunanidhi. He became a vocal Tamil and Dravidian nationalist and prominent member of the DMK (Dravidian Progressive Federation). He added glamour to the Dravidian movement which was sweeping Tamil Nadu. He became a member of the state Legislative Council in 1962. He was first elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in 1967. After the death of his mentor, Annadurai, MGR became the treasurer of DMK in 1969 after Karunanidhi became the chief minister.
In 1967, he was shot in the neck by fellow actor M.R. Radha. The bullet was permanently lodged in his neck and his voice damaged. He wanted the financial details of the party to be publicised which enraged the leadership of DMK and in 1972, MGR was expelled from the party. MGR then floated a new party named Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK) which was later renamed All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), the only powerful opponent of the DMK. He became Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 1977, and remained in office till his death in 1987. In 1979, Members of his party Satyavani Muthu and Aravinda Bala Pajanor, became the first non-congress party from Tamil Nadu to become ministers in the Union Cabinet. It is to be noted that the AIADMK won every state assembly election as long as MGR was alive. He was the first film actor to be a Chief Minister in India.
Once he became Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MGR placed great emphasis on social development, especially education. One of MGR's most successful policies was the re-introduction of the "Mid-day Meal Scheme" in the Government-run and aided schools in Tamil Nadu, which encouraged underprivileged children to attend schools.
He founded the Tamil University, The Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University and the Women's University in Tamil Nadu.
Awards
- National Film Award for Best Actor for the film Rickshakaran in 1972
- Honorary doctorate recieved from University of MadrasThe World University (Arizona)
- Bharat Ratna was conferred by the Government of India (posthumous)
M. G. R. was nominated for Padmashree award from the Government of India but MGR refused to accept as the wording was in Hindi and not in Tamil in 1960.
Philanthropy
MGR was always the first to personally offer relief in disasters and calamities like fire, flood, drought, and cyclones, he was the first donor during the war with China in 1962, donating Rs. 75,000 to the war fund. He was the founder and editor of THAI weekly magazine and ANNA daily newspaper in Tamil. He was the owner of Sathya Studios and Emgeeyar Pictures which produced many of the films he acted in. He also founded the MGR Schools in Kodambakkam giving free education and food for the film workers children in 1953. He was the president of Nadigar Sangam - South India Film Artists Association for four terms. He willed all his property for the welfare of the poor and hearing impaired people of Tamil Nadu.
He gifted golden sword weighing half a Kilogram to Mookambika temple in Kollur, Udipi district.[2]
Death
In October 1984, MGR was diagnosed with kidney failure and was rushed to the U.S. for treatment,and his niece M.G.C.Leelavathy donated kidney to him. Mass hysteria gripped Tamil Nadu and over 100 people attempted self-immolation. MGR died December 24, 1987 after his prolonged illness. His death sparked off an inexplicable frenzy of looting and rioting all over the state of Tamil Nadu. Shops, movie theaters, buses and other public and private property became the target of wanton violence let loose all over the state. The situation became so hopeless that the police had to resort issuing shoot-at-sight orders, something seldom seen or heard of in democratic India. The violence during the funeral alone left 29 people dead and 47 police personnel badly wounded. [3],[4] This state of affairs continued for almost a month all over the state of Tamil Nadu, bringing normal life to a grinding halt and causing untold misery to millions. Around one million[5] people followed his remains, around 30 followers committed suicide and lakhs of people had their heads tonsured. After his death, his political party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, split between his wife Janaki Ramachandran and his political protégé, J. Jayalalitha and later merged in 1988. In 1989 Dr.MGR Home and Higher Secondary School for the Speech and Hearing Impaired was established in the erstwhile Ramavaram Gardens Residence as per his will dated January 17, 1986.
Filmography
Films produced
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
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| 1958 | Nadodi Mannan | Directed by MGR, a movie that seeded a change in Tamilnadu’s political history | |
| 1969 | Adimai Pen | unusual plot set in a fictional medieval European kingdom | |
| 1973 | Ulagam Sutrum Valiban | MGR's second venture as Director, Shot mostly in Foreign locations |
Gallery
References
- ↑ MGR
- ↑ L. R., Jegatheesan. "ஆளும் அரிதாரம்" (in Tamil), BBC. Retrieved on 2006-11-08.
- ↑ Tamil magazine Tamil news,poem,story,movie & song reviews
- ↑ M. G. Ramachandran Summary
- ↑ The Hindu : Americans in Tamil cinema
- ↑ [1]
External links
- வள்ளல் எம்.ஜி. ஆர். வாழ்க்கை வரலாறு
- M.G. Ramchandran: Jewel of the Masses
- The Hindu - Politics and Suicides in TN
- MGR Memorial Charitable Trust
| Preceded by M Karunanidhi |
Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu 1977–1987 |
Succeeded by Janaki Ramachandran |
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