Description
Sivaji Ganesan known as Nadigar thilagam , M.G.Ramachandran alias MGR or Puratchi thalaivar Gemini Ganesan referred as Kaadhal Mannan were the three musketeers of Tamil film industry who ruled as undisputed leaders in the 1960's and 70's.
This is a rare photograph of all three of them together even though political and professional rivals enjoying each others company.
Sivaji Ganesan:
Original Name : V.C.GANESAN (Villupuram C.Ganesan)
Popular Name : SIVAJI GANESAN -- the title "Sivaji" was given to Ganesan by the great Rationlist,Thanthai Periyar E.V.R.Ramasamy for his best performance in the role of Sathrapathy Sivaji in the stage play "Sivaji kanda Indu Saamraajyam" in the year 1946.
First film : His first film is "Paraasakthi". It was released in the year 1952. Great Turning Point: "Parasakthi" was a great turning point not only in Sivaji Ganesan's acting Career but also for the entire Tamil Cinema Field. Before that there were mainly either Raja Rani Stories or religious and mythological stories with a number of songs which had great sway among Tamil Cinema audience.
Milestones : The Greatest Merit of Sivaji Ganesan is that no other actor either in Tamil Cinema or Indian Film Industry or in the whole World has done such a great number of roles and acted in such a great varieties of roles depicting real life.
M.G.Ramachandran (MGR):
Marudhur Gopalan Ramachandran (17 January 1917 – 24 December 1987), popularly known by his initials MGR, was an Indian film actor, director, producer, and politician who also served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu successively for three terms.
He made his film debut in 1936, in the film Sathi Leelavathi, directed by Ellis Dungan, an American-born film director. Generally starring in romance or action films, MGR got his big breakthrough in the 1950 film Manthiri Kumari, written by M. Karunanidhi. Soon he rose to superstardom in the 1954 Malaikallan. He acted as hero in the Tamil film industry's first ever geva colour movie, the 1955 Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum. He rose to become the heart throb of millions of tamilians with movies such as Thirudadhe, Enga Veettu Pillai, Aayirathil Oruvan, Anbe Vaa, Mahadevi, Panam Padaithavan, Ulagam Sutrum Vaalibhan, etc. He won the National Film Award for Best Actor for the film Rickshawkaran in 1972. His film Nadodi Mannan, released in 1958, was a Tamil version of the interpretation of the Prisoner of Zenda, produced and directed by himself and released in 1956, did well. He began to act in many movies that appealed to the direct sentiments of the common man and the rich as well. His 1973 blockbuster Ulagam Sutrum Vaalibhan broke previous box office records of his movies. It was one of the few movies filmed abroad in those days. It was shot in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Japan. The DMK unsuccessfully tried to curtail that movie. His acting career ended in 1984 with his last film, Ullagam Suthi Paru, which he acted when he was diagnosed with kidney failure.
Gemini Ganesan:
Ganesan was born in a Brahmin family. He graduated from the prestigious Madras Christian College and was one of the few graduates to enter the film world in those days. He did not take the traditional route of the theatre to the tinsel world. His first job was as a lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at Madras Christian College. His first cinema-related work (Production Executive in 1947) with the Gemini Studios added the title Gemini to his name.
Gemini Ganesan was an Indian actor. He was nicknamed "Kadhal Mannan" (King of Romance) of Tamil cinema for the romantic roles he played in movies.
Ganesan's dream was to become a doctor. In April 1940 he went to Trichy to see T.R. Alamelu. Alamelu's father proposed to Ganesan his daughter in marriage and promised him a medical seat after graduation. Ganesan immediately agreed and married Alamelu in June 1940. Alamelu lost her father and her elder sister within one month of her marriage. Ganesans dreams of becoming a doctor shattered. There was no choice left for him, but to find a job immediately as he was the only person to support his family. He got an interview from Indian Air Force. Much against Alamelu's wishes Ganesan went to Delhi. In Delhi he met his uncle Narayanaswami who advised him to become a teacher. He married Pushpavalli and Savitri later.