If an up and coming actor is offered the prospect of acting only in 9 movies in the first ten years of his career, he would be skeptical. However, if I sweeten it up by saying that 3 of the nine movies would hog the theatres for more than a year and one would create record for the longest run that would hold for 60 years, he may be tempted to take it. Add some curve balls like a jail term of 30 months, few flops (considering the previous runs) and eventual sanyasa you have a classic movie in the making.
Welcome to the world of The Star, The Man, The Actor MKT a.k.a Mayavaram Krishnamurthy Thyagaraja Bhagavathar. We celebrate his birth centenary on 1st March 2010 and it could be the right time to have a look at his life and pay our tributes.
Born into a family of goldsmiths, his interest in music drove him away from family business towards stage. At the age of 10, our man made his stage debut in Harischandra. After that, there was no turning back. Some scorching performances, public adoration and hard work landed him his first movie "Pavalakkodi", a remake of his super hit play.
His arrival was a moral booster to the common public because up until then, the movie and carnatic music as a business and practice was dominated by a members of a particular caste. His arrival was a breath of fresh air to the public.
His first movie marathon was "Chintamani " which created box office record running for more than a year. However, his next film, "Ambikapathy" directed by Ellis R. Dungan created quite a stir with some pretty steamy scenes involving the lead pair including a pristine smooch by our man. "Ambikapathy" broke the record set by "Chintamani", catapulting baghavathar to the pinnacle of super stardom.
"Ambikapathy" was followed by "Sathyaseelan" (home production), "Thiruneelakantar" ( the songathon remembered by everyone until this day), "Ashok Kumar" and Sivakavi" in 1943.
In the year 1944, THE movie was released. "Haridas" a unassuming, Indianised Casanova played by Baghavathar was THE super hit movie of all times. Running for more than three years on the trot, the movie saw off 3 deepavalis.
In the same year, Baghavathar was convicted along with NS Krishnan and four others for the murder of journalist Lakshmikanthan. Post an appeal, Baghavathar and NSK were released after 30 months prison term. This ended the career of two of the most versatile and endearing stars Tamil industry could ever have.
After the jail term, film offered reduced and Baghavathar found himself alienated. He produced his own movies. He acted in five more movies before passing on in the year 1959.
His acting exploits should not and cannot overshadow his talent as a carnatic singer par excelence. being a member of Tamizh Isai Movement did not give him enough opportunities in the Bhramin dominated field. He never gave a performance at the annual thayagaraja aaradhanai, a celebration of carnatic music by the "elite".
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