M. G. Ramachandran, popularly called MGR is an actor turned politician, who went to become CM of Tamil Nadu. MGR’s name is enough to evoke enough emotion in Tamil Nadu even today, years after his death. He’s an actor who saw huge success both as an actor and politician. MGR started his acting career on stage and moved to the big screen before entering politics.Having said that, MGR is not the only one of the popular film stars who are worshipped as demigods and also elected as politicians and important office holders in South India.
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Though some Bollywood actors too get into politics but nowhere else are film actors given an almost god-like status, like in South India. In fact, the film actors are taken more seriously than democratically elected politicians!
MGR’s contemporaries and friends like screenwriter M. Karunanidhi (5 times CM of Tamil Nadu) who wrote the script for the film Rajakumari gave a huge break for MGR in 1947. Actor Sivaji Ganesan too entered politics but his political career didn’t take off like the other two. There were others actors from Tamil Nadu who entered politics like actor Vyjayanthimala, Hema Malini, Rekha etc. none of them have been able to be the cult MGR was with the sole exception being J Jayalalitha.
Actors Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth both are on their way to politics but like most experts are saying neither of them will enjoy the popularity MGR did. Why is it that MGR is still worshipped even today? One of the reasons could be his welfare and freebie schemes like the free nutritious midday meals which were one of the game-changing schemes of that time. Thanks to which Tamil Nadu has the highest literacy rate and lowest mortality rates today!
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Secondly, he also introduced TASMAC, a monopoly of resale and wholesale vendors of liquor, the profits of which were used for the midday meal. His decisions were always ruthless. He was already popular as an actor so he became a link between the party and the common man.
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From Midday meals to women-centric welfare schemes, liquor ban, and preservation of heritage sites, MGR worked hard and used his popularity to make all these schemes successful. He was also generous and donated a lot to various causes. He made a huge impact in the lives of the underprivileged and his welfare schemes are popular even today.
MRG survived an assassination attempt in 1967 by his friend and actor MR Radha, and remained as chief minister till his death in 1987. January 17th 2018 marks 101st birthday of MGR, and we wish more politicians turn out to be noble like him.
Will Kamal Hassan and Rajinikanth manage to create a similar magic? Only time will tell.
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