A potpourri of titbits about Tamil cinema

Majordasan – "I should thank Major Sundararajan only for my close contact with Sivaji Ganesan. When I interviewed Sivaji for the first time I asked him how it happened that Sivaji acted in the role that was marked for MGR in the ‘Sivaji kanda Indu rajyam’ drama, written by Arignar Anna. 'Madi Oli' Shanmugam tried to defuse the situation by telling Sivaji that I, being very young, didn’t know that I shouldn’t have put that question. But, Shivaji didn’t mind my question. He said, "In the year 1946, Dravidar Kazhagam was making arrangements to hold its 7th Self-respect conference in Madras. The drama was meant for that occasion only. Even the costumes were ready for MGR. But subsequently MGR backed out, I didn’t know the reason. Anna asked me to do the role and gave me the script which contained 72 pages of dialogues. The time left for the staging was only one week. And, Anna came again in the evening. I performed before him delivering the dialogues with suitable modifications in voice. Anna was so impressed and surprised at my performance. The dresses stitched for MGR were altered to suit my measurements. Anna brought Periyaar who used to say that fine arts and artistes were responsible for the degeneration of the society to watch the drama. Periyaar was so pleased and wondered that Anna had conveyed in a single drama what all he had planned to tell at the conference. When Anna introduced me as Ganesan to Periyaar, he told me that I would be Sivaji Ganesan thereafter. I got this title even before I entered cinema."

Director K. Subramaniam, the Godfather of Tamil cinema had introduced many new faces. At one time, Azha. Rama. Azhagappa Chettiar and ‘Lena’ Laksman Chettiar invited Subramaniam to Karaikudi. Azhagappa Chettiar wanted to make a film in Subramaniam’s direction. All the three watched the stage drama ‘Pavalakkodi’ there. Subramaniam was terribly impressed with a very handsome young man doing the role of Arjuna and singing in a melodious voice. He was also impressed with the heroine. He then called for both the hero and the heroine and asked them both whether they were willing to act in the cinema ‘Pavalakkodi’. Thyagaraja Bhagwadhar and S. D. Subbulakshmi were the hero and the heroine. MKT got Rs. 1,000 as his remuneration while Subbulakshmi got Rs. 2,000. The director of the film got just Rs. 700 as his salary!