Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran , popularly known by his initials M.G.R., was an Indian actor, politician, and philanthropist who served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from 1977 until his death in 1987. He was the founder and first general secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. On 19 March 1988, Ramachandran was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour. Ramachandran is regarded as one of the most influential politicians of post-independence India. Apart from politics, as a film personality he won the National Film Award, two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and two Filmfare Award South.
Ramasamy Ganesan, better known by his stage name Gemini Ganesan, was an Indian actor who worked mainly in Tamil cinema. He was referred as Kaadhal Mannan for his romantic roles in films. Ganesan was one of the "three biggest names of Tamil cinema", the other two being M. G. Ramachandran and Sivaji Ganesan. While Sivaji Ganesan excelled in dramatic films and M. G. Ramachandran was popular as an action hero, Gemini Ganesan was known for his romantic films. A recipient of the Padma Shri in 1971, he had also won several other awards including the Kalaimamani, the MGR Gold Medal, and the Screen Lifetime Achievement Award. He was one of the few college graduates to enter the film industry then.
B. Saroja Devi is an Indian actress who has acted in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi films. She acted in around 200 films over seven decades. She is known by the epithets "Abhinaya Saraswathi" in Kannada and "Kannadathu Paingili" in Tamil. She is one of the most successful actresses in the history of Indian cinema.
Thoguluva Meenatchi Iyengar Soundararajan, popularly known as TMS, was an Indian Carnatic musician and a playback singer in Tamil cinema for over six and a half decades. He sang over 10,138 songs from 3,162 films, including devotional, semi-classical, Carnatic, classical and light music songs. He gave classical concerts starting in 1943.
Palum Pazhamum is a 1961 Indian Tamil-language film directed by A. Bhimsingh. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan and B. Saroja Devi. It was released on 9 September 1961. The film was remade in Kannada as Beratha Jeeva, and in Hindi as Saathi, the latter was remade in Turkish as Yarım Kalan Saadet (1970).
Enga Veettu Pillai is a 1965 Indian Tamil-language film written by Sakthi T. K. Krishnasamy and directed by Chanakya. A remake of his 1964 Telugu film Ramudu Bheemudu, it stars M. G. Ramachandran and B. Saroja Devi, with S. V. Ranga Rao, M. N. Nambiar, Rathna and Pandari Bai in supporting roles. The film is about two identical but contrasting twins who were separated at birth, and what happens when they cross paths.
Rani Lalithangi is a 1957 Indian Tamil-language historical drama film directed by T. R. Raghunath, starring Sivaji Ganesan and P. Bhanumathi. The film, a remake of the 1935 film Lalithangi, was released on 21 September 1957.
Puthiya Paravai is a 1964 Indian Tamil-language romantic thriller film directed by Dada Mirasi. Produced by Sivaji Ganesan, the film stars himself, B. Saroja Devi, M. R. Radha and Sowcar Janaki, with Nagesh, Manorama, V. K. Ramasamy, O. A. K. Thevar and S. V. Ramadas in supporting roles. The plot revolves around Gopal, who falls in love with Latha, a woman he recently befriended, when his presumed-dead wife Chitra arrives to tell him that she is still alive. He claims her to be an impostor but no one believes him.
Kathavarayan is a 1958 Indian Tamil-language Hindu mythological film produced and directed by T. R. Ramanna, and written by Thuraiyur K. Murthy. A remake of the 1941 film Aryamala, it stars Sivaji Ganesan and Savitri. The film was released on 7 November 1958.
Adimai Penn is a 1969 Indian Tamil-language historical action film directed by K. Shankar and produced by M. G. Ramachandran and R. M. Veerappan. The film stars Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa, with Ashokan, Pandari Bai, Rajasree, Manohar, Chandrababu and Cho in supporting roles. It revolves around the efforts of a deceased king's son to free the enslaved people of a kingdom from their tyrant king.
M. Saroja was an Indian actress and comedian who worked in Tamil cinema. She was frequently paired alongside K. A. Thangavelu.
Madurai Narasimha Achary Rajam is an Indian actress, who works mainly in Tamil cinema. She made her stage acting debut at the age of seven, and film acting debut as a child artist in 1949. Rajam played the vamp role in the Tamil classic Ratha Kanneer (1954), opposite M. R. Radha. Since then Rajam had acted with several leading actors including MGR, Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, M. R. Radha, S.S. Rajendran, M. N. Nambiar and N. S. Krishnan. She married popular Tamil playback singer A. L. Raghavan on 2 May 1960. Her performances in films like, Rathak Kaneer, Pennin Perumai, Pudhayal, Thanga Padumai, "Nadodi Mannan", "Pasa Malar", Thaali Bhagyam and "Arangetram" were critically acclaimed. She played supporting roles in films since 1970 to 1990. She started working in TV serials from 1995 and continues to work in films till 2014. In 1958 Rajam was booked by M. G. Ramachandran for his second directorial venture Ponniyin Selvan. One of the first screen adaptations of Kalki Krishnamurthy's Ponniyin Selvan, the film had a huge ensemble cast consisting of Vyjayanthimala, Savitri, Gemini Ganesan, Padmini, Saroja Devi and Nagesh.. In the film, she was given the role of Nandhini, the wife of Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar. However, in mid-1958 the film was shelved for unknown reasons.
Vidivelli is a 1960 Indian Tamil-language film written and directed by C. V. Sridhar. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, B. Saroja Devi and M. N. Rajam; Ganesan also produced it under Prabhuram Pictures, a subsidiary of his own company Sivaji Films. The film focuses on a brother who steals a diamond necklace for his sister's happy life. But the necklace itself becomes a problem. The rest of the story deals with what is the secret of the necklace and how the brother solves this puzzle.
Muharasi is a 1966 Indian Tamil-language film, directed by M. A. Thirumugam. Based on G. Balasubramaniam's play Moondrezhuthil En Moochirukkum, itself inspired by the 1964 film The Pitiless Three, the film stars M. G. Ramachandran and Gemini Ganesan in their only film together. The film, produced by Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar under his Thevar Films banner, was released on 18 February 1966 and ran for 100 days.
Petralthan Pillaiya is a 1966 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by Krishnan–Panju and written by Aaroor Dass. The film stars M. G. Ramachandran, B. Saroja Devi and Sowcar Janaki. Based on the 1921 American film, The Kid, it revolves around a tramp finding a homeless boy and raising him as his own son until five years later the boy's biological parents try to find him.
Dharmam Engey is a 1972 Indian Tamil-language action film directed by A. C. Tirulokchandar. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan and Jayalalithaa, with M. N. Nambiar, Muthuraman, Nagesh, S. V. Ramadas and Kumari Padmini in supporting roles. It was released on 15 July 1972, and failed at the box office.
Kulamagal Radhai is a 1963 Indian Tamil-language romance film directed and written by A. P. Nagarajan. It is based on the novel Vaazhvu Engey by Akilan. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, B. Saroja Devi and Devika. It was released on 7 June 1963.
Iruvar Ullam is a 1963 Indian Tamil-language romance film, directed by L. V. Prasad and written by M. Karunanidhi. Based on Lakshmi's novel Pen Manam, the film stars Sivaji Ganesan and B. Saroja Devi, while M. R. Radha, S. V. Ranga Rao, T. R. Ramachandran, T. P. Muthulakshmi, Sandhya and Padmini Priyadarshini play supporting roles.
Vadivukku Valai Kappu is a 1962 Indian Tamil-language film written and directed by A. P. Nagarajan in his directorial debut. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, Savitri, and Sowcar Janaki. It was released on 7 July 1962.
The following is a list of unproduced M. G. Ramachandran projects in alphabetical order. During his career, Indian actor-filmmaker M. G. Ramachandran had worked on a number of projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his acting commitments or direction. Some of these projects fell into development hell or were officially cancelled.
