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NT Bureau
Chennai, Oct 2:
 

Union Minister of State for Human Resource D Purandeswari presenting Dr Sivaji Ganesan Memorial Award to yesteryear actor S Varalakshmi at the function in Music Academy yesterday. Also seen are actor Prabhu and Thuglak editor Cho Ramasamy.

        He was a great actor before the camera. But away from it, he was straight forward in life, hence a flop in politics. The forthright comment of Thuglak editor Cho Ramasamy brought the house down yesterday with rapturous claps at the 79th birth anniversary fete of actor Sivaji Ganesan held at Music Academy.

        Loud cheers and intermittent shouts from the large audience greeted the final speech of Cho who felt no present and past actors had the versatility and the commitment of Sivaji who was a born genius in acting and it was the grace of Goddess Saraswati that led him to the pinnacle of success in film industry. Recalling his intimate kinship with the thespian, he said many a time the actor made sarcastic comments laced with humour that would reveal his keen interest in Tamil drama and unwavering passion for acting.

        Patting the duo brothers — G Ramkumar and G Prabhu — for carrying on the philanthropic activity of their father without publicity, Cho felt that the three veteran artistes selected for Dr Sivaji Memorial Awards were most deserving for their signal contribution to Tamil films. Veteran actors S Varalakshmi, M N Rajam and costumer

        P S Natarajan who was a staff at Sivaji Productions were felicitated with citation, shawl and a cheque of Rs 40,000 by the Sivaji Prabhu Charities Trust on the occasion.

        In her address as chief guest, D Purandeswari, Union Minister of State for HRD, said it was an emotional moment to recall her family's close association with Sivaji Ganesan which would be cherished by her for long. 'As children we played in his house and grew up in his lap. His life is an open book and the actor is a walking university who had left an indelible mark for the film industry to follow. Sivaji dominated Tamil cinema for over two decades like a colossus and behind his tough exterior, there is soft nature in him which donated a lot for education and charitable purposes,' said the Minister who is the daughter of matinee icon N T Rama Rao.

        His passion for acting forced him to leave home when he was 7-year-old and Sivaji took up to stage plays in early part of his career. Known as Ganesan then, the prefix of Sivaji was given to him by Dravidian leader Periyar after watching his acting in Chhatrapathi Sivaji, a play written by DMK founder C N Annadurai.

        'If his films and acting are still being cherished by all long after he had passed away, then it only showed his passion and reverence he brought to the profession,' she said. G Ramkumar presented a cheque of Rs one lakh to the Panchayat Middle School at Pappan Chathiram village in Tiruvallur district for building a stage and constructing a reverse osmosis plant for drinking water. Already, Sivaji Charities had donated Rs 3 lakh for the Panchayat School to improve its basic infrastructure.

        The Hindu editor-in-chief N Ram released the English version of Autobiography of an actor, originally written in Tamil by T S Narayanasami and the first copy of the book was received by Cho. Professional integrity, passion, versatility and friendly disposition were the hallmarks of this remarkable personality in Sivaji Ganesan, said Ram. 'He elevated the profession of acting through his punctuality and integrity,' he said.

        Wives of Ramkumar and Prabhu felicitated the Union Minister with a huge shield and a shawl. Ramkumar said the trust was planning a mega event to celebrate the 80th birth anniversary of the veteran actor with the installation of statues in Nagercoil, Salem, Tiruchi and Madurai, among other districts. In his concluding remarks, actor Prabhu said though it was six years after the untimely death of his father, the memory of his life and acting was still fresh among the family members. Sivaji fans associations from all districts, including Kanyakumari, gathered in strength at the venue. Dramatist Y Gee Mahendra compered the function with a dash of humour and nostalgia.