M. G. Ramachandran

MGR married Chitarikulam Bargavi popularly known as Thangamani. She died in 1942. He re-married Sathanandavathhi who in turn also died of tuberculosis in 1962. MGR finally married VN Janaki, a former Tamil actress who remained his wife until his death.

In 1967, MGR met with a tragic incident. His co-actor M. R. Radha shot him on his left ear twice which after a surgical operation left MGR partially deaf. He was unable to hear from his left ear and suffered from ear ringing problems all through his life. His voice changed permanently.

In 1984, MGR was diagnosed with kidney failure. A mild heart attack coupled with diabetes and massive stroke complicated his health further. He travelled to America for kidney transplantation where he was admitted at the Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn.

Marudhur Gopalan Ramachandran was born on January 17, 1917 in Kandy, British Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) to Melakkath Gopala Menon and Maruthur Satyabhama. He is till date popularly known by the acronym MGR.

His father belonged to a Malayali Nair family, and was based at Vadavannur, Palakkad when he was excommunicated in 1903. Leaving his family, he migrated to Kandy. Young Ramachandran grew up both as a devout Hindu and a devotee of Lord Murugan.

Early in his life, MGR showed an inclination for acting. Following his father’s death, MGR joined a drama company, ‘Madurai Original Boys Company’.

MGR made his big break in cinema in the year 1936 with the film, ‘Sathi Leelavathi’. The film was directed by an American-born film director, Ellis Dungan.

During the 1940s and 1950s the Tamil film industry witnessed a huge transformation. Screenwriters belonging to the Dravidian movement such as Annadurai, Karunanidhi were getting popular and were making different kind of cinema. MGR took part in the movement and played various characters during the decade.

The relationship between MGR and Annadurai was that of a pupil and a mentor. Subsequently, MGR joined politics as well being a part of the Annadurai’s new Dravidian party, DMK in 1953.

After his stint in romantic and action films, MGR got his big breakthrough in cinema in 1950 with Karunanidhi’s ‘Manthiri Kumari’. The film catapulted him to fame. He followed its success with the 1954 film, ‘Malaikkallan’.

The 1955 film, ‘Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum’ multiplied the fame of MGR who became the first Tamil actor to star in the industry’s first ever geva colour flick. Gradually, banking on his star status, MGR gave stellar performances one after the other in films like ‘Thirudadhe’, ‘Enga Veettu Pillai’, ‘Aayirathil Oruvan’, ‘Anbe Vaa, Mahadevi’, ‘Panam Padaithavan’ and‘Ulagam Sutrum Vaalibhan’. He soon became the heartthrob of millions of Tamilians.

His career in films earned him several awards including two Filmfare Awards in the category of Best Actor and Best Film and a National Film Award for Best Actor.

He was felicitated with honorary doctorate degrees from the University of Madras and the World University Arizona in 1974.

Posthumously, MGR was conferred with the Bharat Ratna by the Government of India.