M G Ramachandran: The first film actor to become Chief Minister in India

New Delhi: M G Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR, was first film actor to become Chief Minister of any state in India.Starting off his career as an actor in Tamil films, MGR joined politics later on and served three terms as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. MGR was born in a Malayali family in Nawalapitiya near Kandy, Sri Lanka on 17 January 1917 to Melakkath Gopala Menon a Palakkad Nair and Maruthur Satyabhama.MGR's father was staying in Palakkad, Kerala before he was excommunicated in 1903 after he was accused of an illicit relationship with a widowed Brahmin woman.MGR's father left his family and married Maruthur Satyabhama.MGR made his film debut in 1936, in the film Sathi Leelavathi directed by Ellis Dungan, an American-born film director.MGR got the big breakthrough in 1947 in the film ‘Manthiri Kumari' written by M Karunanidhi .Soon he rose to superstardom in the 1954 blockbuster Malaikallan. MGR acted as hero in the Tamil film industry's first ever colour movie, the 1955 blockbuster Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum.MGR dominated the Tamil film industry with films like Anbe Vaa, Aayirathil Oruvan, Mahadevi, Panam Padaithavan, Ulagam Sutrum Vaalibhan, Adimai Penn, etc.MGR won the National Film Award for Best Actor for the film Rickshawkaran in 1972.MGR was interested in politics from early days. MGR was a member of the Congress Party till 1953, and he used to wear khādī.In 1953 MGR joined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) attracted by founder C.N.Annadurai.He was first elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in 1967. After the death of his mentor, Annadurai, MGR became the treasurer of DMK in 1969.M.R. Radha and MGR had worked in 25 films together. On 12 January 1967 M.R. Radha with a producer visited MGR to talk about a future project. During the conversation M.R. Radha stood up and shot MGR in his left ear twice and then pretended to shoot himself. MGR drove to the hospital by himself and spoke to the doctor with his own voice for the last time. For six weeks, he lay in the hospital as fans awaited each report of his health. He was visited by a steady stream of commoners and luminaries of film industry, polity and bureaucracy. From his hospital bed, he conducted his campaign for Madras Legislative Assembly. He won twice the number of votes polled by his Congress rival and the largest vote polled by any candidate for the Assembly.After the operation his voice changed. Since he had been shot in his ear MGR lost hearing in his left ear and had ringing in the ear problems but never complained until he had kidney problems in the early 1983.In 1972, When Karunanidhi was trying to promote his son M K Muthu in both film and politics, MGR broke away and founded his own party ADMK later renamed as AIADMK.He became Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on 30 June 1977, remaining in office till his death in 1987.It was MGR who introduced Jayalalithaa, the present Tamil Nadu CM, to politics.MGR married Bargavi also known as Thangamani who died early due to illness. He later married Sathanandavathhi who died soon due to tuberculosis. M.G.R. married V. N. Janaki a former Tamil film actress who had divorced her husband, Ganapati Bhatt, to marry MGR.Let's have a look at some of the most interesting pics of MGR: