The Man from Marathur and Malai Nadu

M.G.Ramachandran - MGR

17 January 1917 - 24 December1987

Part-I

Ninety two years ago, a baby boy was born to a migrant couple, Gopala Menon and Sathyabama, in a ‘line-room’ of a tea estate in Kandy. Later, this baby boy would grow into a leader with the name Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran (popularly adored by Tamils all over the world with the acronym MGR).

Maruthur was the ancestral village in the Kerala state from where his parents hailed from. Many have ridiculed the uncertainty of his birth date, though MGR had used 17 January 1917 in his personal documents. One should sympathise with MGR on this matter because he was born to an Indian immigrant family in a tea plantation in Ceylon, which was then under British colonial rule. Way back in 1917, the health care facilities available for the plantation workers were atrocious, leave alone the requirements related to birth registration. That he survived into adulthood itself was an achievement.

Though as a two-year old he was taken to Kumbakonam by his mother (who had been widowed after the birth of MGR), the destiny would make it that in his last five years of life, MGR would again have close links with the Tamils in the land of his birth.

After landing in Tamil Nadu, MGR would rise in his professional ranks with perseverance, hard work and the smile of Lady Luck. He reached the ‘top’, step by step; 10 years as a vaudeville child actor, 10 years as an apprentice actor with secondary roles in movies, 30 years as an ‘uncrowned king’ in the Tamil movie land and finally 10 years as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Having experienced poverty personally during his young days and forfeiting the opportunity to have a formal education, MGR would see to it that at least one song in his movie had some educational value to the average man.

He would take a keen interest in the theme of the song, its musical composition and its exact appearance in the movie. Not surprisingly, it would turn out to be a hit song.

1. Acheham enpathu madamaiyadah - Anjaamai Dravidar udamaiyadah (on Dravidian glory and heroism) அச்சம் என்பது .. மடமையடா.. அஞ்சாமை திராவிடர் .. உடமையடா
2. Thoongathe Thambi Thoongathe - Nee somberi enra peyar vaankaathe (on the consequences of idling and procrastination) தூங்காதே தம்பி தூங்காதே - நீயும் சோம்பேறி என்ற பெயர் வாங்காதே!
3. Chinna payale Chinna payale Chethi keladah (on character-building and self confidence) சின்னப் பயலே, சின்னப் பயலே சேதி கேளடா
4. Thirudathe - Paapaa Thirudathe (on prevention of bad habits, especially stealing, while young) திருடாதே, பாப்பா திருடாதே, வறுமை நிலைக்கு பயந்து விடாதே
5. Moonrezhuthil En Moochchirukkum - Athu mudinthapin thaane Pechehirukkum (on the dignity of duty) மூன்றெழுத்தில் என் மூச்சிருக்கும்.... அது முடிஞ்ச பின்னாலும் என் பேச்சிருக்கும்...
6. Onru Engal Jathiye - Ouru Engal Neethiye (on the unity of human race)
7. Unnai Arinthaal Nee Unnai Arinthaal Ulagthil Pooradalaam (on developing self confidence) உன்னை அறிந்தால்...நீ உன்னை அறிந்தால், உலகத்தில் போராடலாம்
8. Buddhan Jesu Gandhi pirandathu Bhoomiyil etharkaaka (on the dignity of labour)
9. Atho Antha paravai pola vazhayendum (on freedom and liberty) அதோ அந்த பறவை போல வாழ வேண்டும்
10 Thaayillamal Naanillai Thaane evarum piranthathillai (on mother love) தாய் இல்லாமல் நான் இல்லை...
11. Chirithu vazhavendum - Nee chirikka vazhnthidathe (on dignity of the labour)
12. Poomazhai thoovi vasanthangal vaaztha oorvalam nadakkirathu.(on sibling love)

MGR would also make sure that he will teach good manners and discipline to the masses through the movies. Therefore, in the characters he played in 120-odd movies, he would never smoke or take alcoholic drinks. On top of that, he would never physically or mentally abuse women. This self-imposed rigidity restricted the character roles he would play and movie critics ridiculed him for this 'un-natural style' of his characters. But MGR would have the last word. Ultimately, he claimed the respected honorific ‘vaathiyar’ (teacher) in its proper sense of the word.