Top 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsMost Popular Video GamesMost Popular Music VideosMost Popular Podcasts
    Release CalendarBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Biography
  • Awards
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Shivaji Ganesan(1928-2001)

  • Actor
  • Producer
  • Additional Crew
IMDbProStarmeter
See rank
Shivaji Ganesan
Padayappa Trailer
Play trailer2:50
Padaiyappa (1999)
4 Videos
34 Photos
Tamil superstar from a poor family in Tamil Nadu, India. His father worked on the railways.

On the day of his birth his father, Chiniah Pillai, follower of Mahatma Gandhi, was jailed for participating in the Independence movement in Nellikuppam (Tamil Nadu, India). He was frequently in and out of jail, and was raised by his mother, Rajamani Ammal.

He joined theatre groups when he was young. He earned his screen name 'Sivaji' after acting in C.N. Annadurai's play 'Sivaji Kanda Indhu Rajyam', a historical play on the Maratha Emperor Shivaji.

He made his film debut in Parasakthi (1952) as Gunasekharan. He became an icon of the DMK party who made DMK films (founded by C.M. Annadurai).

He entered politics in the mid-50s where he joined the Congress party and then defected to support the opposition Janata Dal.

He is most well know for his mythological and patriotic portrayals, like in his most famous films like Karnan(mythological) and Veerapandiya Kattabomman (patriotic).

His main rival was MGR (M.G. Ramachandran) and together they dominated the Tamil film industry in the 1960s and 70s.
BornOctober 1, 1928
DiedJuly 21, 2001(72)
BornOctober 1, 1928
DiedJuly 21, 2001(72)
IMDbProStarmeter
See rank
  • Awards

Photos34

Devika and Shivaji Ganesan in Pavamanippu (1961)
Shivaji Ganesan, K.R. Vijaya, and Prameela in Thanga Padhakkam (1974)
Shivaji Ganesan and K.R. Vijaya in Thanga Padhakkam (1974)
Shivaji Ganesan in Karnan (1964)
Shivaji Ganesan and Pandari Bai in Andha Naal (1954)
Shivaji Ganesan in Andha Naal (1954)
Shivaji Ganesan and Pandari Bai in Andha Naal (1954)
Shivaji Ganesan in Kappalottiya Thamizhan (1961)
Shivaji Ganesan in Kappalottiya Thamizhan (1961)
Shivaji Ganesan in Kappalottiya Thamizhan (1961)
Shivaji Ganesan in Karnan (1964)
Shivaji Ganesan in Karnan (1964)

Known for

Shivaji Ganesan in Deiva Magan (1969)
Deiva Magan
8.1
  • Actor
  • 1969
Shivaji Ganesan and Pandari Bai in Andha Naal (1954)
Andha Naal
7.9
  • Engineer Rajan
  • 1954
Shivaji Ganesan, Gautami, Kamal Haasan, Nassar, and Revathi in Thevar Magan (1992)
Thevar Magan
8.7
  • Periya Thevar
  • 1992
Gauravam (1973)
Gauravam
7.5
  • Actor
  • 1973

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actor

  • Pooparika varugirom (1999)
    Pooparika varugirom
  • Abbas, Shivaji Ganesan, Ramya Krishnan, Rajinikanth, and Soundarya in Padaiyappa (1999)
    Padaiyappa
  • Mannavaru Chinnavaru (1999)
    Mannavaru Chinnavaru
  • Shivaji Ganesan in En Aasai Rasave (1998)
    En Aasai Rasave
  • Oru Yathramozhi (1997)
    Oru Yathramozhi
  • Once More (1997)
    Once More
  • Pasumponn (1995)
    Pasumponn
  • Paramparyam (1993)
    Paramparyam
  • Nangal (1992)
    Nangal
  • Arjun Sarja, Shivaji Ganesan, and Kanaka in Muthal Kural (1992)
    Muthal Kural
  • Chinna Marumagal (1992)
    Chinna Marumagal
  • Naangal (1992)
    Naangal
  • Knock Out
  • Shivaji Ganesan, Gautami, Kamal Haasan, Nassar, and Revathi in Thevar Magan (1992)
    Thevar Magan
  • Gnana Paravai (1991)
    Gnana Paravai

Producer

  • Vietnam Veedu (1970)
    Vietnam Veedu
  • Shivaji Ganesan in Galatta Kalyanam (1968)
    Galatta Kalyanam
  • Pudhiya Paravai (1964)
    Pudhiya Paravai

Additional Crew

  • Gauri (1968)
    Gauri
    • (as Sivaji Ganesan)
  • Rakhi (1962)
    Rakhi
    • (as Sivaji Ganesan)

Videos4

Mohanlal's Must-Watch Malayalam Cinema Picks
Clip 4:03
Mohanlal's Must-Watch Malayalam Cinema Picks
Once More Trailer
Trailer 1:23
Once More Trailer
Padayappa Trailer
Trailer 2:50
Padayappa Trailer
Vasantha Maligai (1972) Trailer
Trailer 2:35
Vasantha Maligai (1972) Trailer

Personal details

Edit
  • Official sites
    • Community Website
    • Filmography, Achievements/ honors, quotes, books on Sivaji Ganesan, etc.
    • October 1, 1928
    • Sirkali Sirkazhi, Tanjore District, Madras Presidency, British India
    • July 21, 2001
    • Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India(heart and kidney problems)
    • Prabhu

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    During a visit to the USA in 1962, he was named honorary mayor of Niagara City for a day and presented with a key to the city -- the only Indian besides Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to receive the honour.

Related news

Contribute to this page

Suggest an edit or add missing content
  • Learn more about contributing
Edit page

More to explore

Recently viewed

Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
Get the IMDb App
  • Get the IMDb App
  • Help
  • Site Index
  • IMDbPro
  • Box Office Mojo
  • IMDb Developer
  • Press Room
  • Advertising
  • Jobs
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your Ads Privacy Choices
IMDb, an Amazon company

© 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.