Potpourri of titbits about Tamil cinema - Actor Nagesh

When I asked him how he managed the two giants MGR and Sivaji and his call-sheets when he worked with them, he said he had found it very difficult and that he used to be nervous while acting with Sivaji. “Sivaji would be very punctual and would never show his anger directly, but would express his dissatisfaction in a lighter vein during lunch time MGR would never waste time and would tell the director to shoot the scenes of the artistes present at the spot if I go late. Both these actors are treasures for the Tamil film industry,” Nagesh told me once with tears of joy in his eyes. When I asked him who was the inspiration for his performance in the scene in Kathalikka neramillai in which he narrates a horror story to Balaiah and in the scene in Thiruvilaiyadal in which he, as Dharumi argues with Lord Siva (Sivaji Ganesan), Nagesh said that director Dadamirasi (the director of the film Pudhiyaparavai) who would narrate a story with background music and performance was his inspiration for Kadhalikka neramillai and that one Mr. Krishnaswami Iyer, who used to lament and complain to God about the poor surrounding of the Kapali temple tank, talking in both Tamil and English was the inspiration for the Thiruvilaiyadal scene.

When I asked him about his favorite films, he became wild! “I avoid media people because of this reason only. You people never ask useful questions. I work in all the films with involvement and interest. I love all my films,” Nagesh told me candidly. Nagesh would drink one cup of basil leaf juice daily to prevent cold, phlegm and cough. And, he left smoking also at one stage. When I asked him about the chains with dollars with engravings of Cross, Lord Vinayaka and Anjaneya, he was wearing, Nagesh told me that the chain with a Cross was a gift by his deceased wife Regina and that the other chains were his own choice.

Once a press show of the film ‘Padum vanambadi’ in which his son Anand Babu had acted was arranged by Nagesh at his Nagesh theatre. I also went along with the then popular journalist Naveenan for the show. Nagesh shook hands individually with all the media people, requesting them to forgive him if he had ignored them in the past and sought their support for his son. Nagesh had three sons – Anand Babu, Rajesh Babu and Ramesh Babu.

From the beginning of the year 2008, Nagesh’s health was not stable. During November, when he got up at night to drink water, he fell down and was hit seriously. His diabetes and kidney problem intensified. And, he was avoiding friends when he was bedridden. But when director Balachander met him, both started crying. On 31st January 2009, Nagesh reported chest pain and was taken to a hospital at Thiruvanmiyur. But he was declared dead by the doctors there.

We’ve lost a great actor with incredible talents in Nagesh’s death. But his films will remain with us forever. It is a great regret that none of the chief ministers of Tamil Nadu recommended Nagesh’s name for Padmashree award to the Central Government.