Potpourri of titbits about Tamil cinema

S. N. Lakshmi, who had played the mother of MGR in many of MGR starrers shared her experiences in an emotive tone. “I never used to sit before MGR but MGR would insist on my sitting telling that he would also stand if I stood. There was a scene in the film ‘Thozhilali’ in which MGR would seek my blessings after he got a job. Suddenly MGR fell at my feet and held on to my legs with his hands. I was bewildered and asked him to get up. But MGR asked the still photographer Nagaraj to take a still of that shot. He then told me that he considered me his mother and wanted to get my blessings. But the shot was not meant for the film, he said. MGR would get the payments for his colleagues from the company in case their payments were not settled. And, he would make it a point to ensure that whatever items were served to him for lunch or dinner, all the members of the unit also were served all those dishes. At a time when Pandari Bai was in financial difficulty, I requested Janaki Amma to tell MGR to get work for Pandari Bai in his films. On learning about Pandari Bai’s distress, MGR rushed to her help by getting her roles in his films. MGR is God to his colleagues.”

Playwright Ravindran became close to MGR when he wrote the dialogues for ‘Idintha koil’ stage-play in which MGR was in the lead role. He worked in M. G. R. Pictures and remained MGR’s close friend and adviser till end. Ravindran had shared his experiences with MGR with his friends and the media. Once he wrote in the magazine ‘Bommai’ – “Once, MGR took me with him to meet the former President Dr. Radhakrishnan. The former President had tea for four times during the meeting.