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1-40 of 40
- Actor
- Director
- Producer
M.G. Ramachandran (1917-1987), popularly known as MGR, dominated like no other, the films and politics of India's Tamil Nadu state. A charismatic actor and philanthropist, he commanded the idolatrous adulation of millions of Tamilians and became Tamil Nadu's chief minister. His achievements in 3 fields, namely films, philanthropy and politics were remarkable considering his humble origins in Sri Lanka. Raised in poverty by a widowed single mother, he had nothing more than his good looks when he got his first break in "Sati Lilavati", a Tamil film of the late 1930s. In the 1940s and 50s, the Tamil film industry was being transformed by screenwriters like Annadurai, Karunanidhi and others belonging to the Dravidian movement. MGR starred in many of the movies they helped make. Annadurai became his mentor and MGR joined the DMK, Annadurai's new Dravidian party. His films made MGR a matinee idol among Tamilians. He also started monetarily helping people in need, sowing the seeds for his reputation as a philanthropist. When Annadurai died as Tamil Nadu's chief minister, MGR's rival Karunanidhi assumed office. MGR accused him of defalcation and was kicked out of the DMK. In 1977, MGR's ADMK (later renamed AIADMK) party was swept into power. In his first term, MGR cleaned up corruption and carried out reforms like having an income limit for backward class people to be eligible for the reserved seats in government colleges and jobs. His reforms proved unpopular, so MGR became another corrupt Indian politician having learned not to rock the boat. Tamil Nadu stagnated during the rest of his reign. Yet his mesmerized legions of fans continued to vote him into power. His death in 1987 created a power vacuum that soon brought his old nemesis, the corrupt Karunanidhi, back into power. MGR was a complex man who triumphed over poverty and tried to improve the lot of the people who revered him. However, in the end, he was a god that failed.- Sathyan was born as Sathyaneshan Nadar in a Christian family to Cheruvilakathuveettil Manuel and Lilly Amma. He had served as Viceroy's Commissioned Officer and later joined the Travancore State Police as a Police Inspector.
Sathyan made his debut on the tinsel screen in the 1952 Malayalam movie Athmasakhi. He received the Kerala State Film Award for the Best Actor twice for the films Kadalpalam in 1969 and Karakanakadal in 1971.
He was married to Jessy and was the father of three children. - Director
- Art Director
- Writer
Bharathan was born on 14 November 1947 in Vadakkancheri, Trichur, Kerala, British India. He was a director and art director, known for Thevar Magan (1992), Prayanam (1975) and Thakara (1979). He was married to K.P.A.C. Lalitha. He died on 29 July 1998 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
S.V. Ranga Rao was born on 3 July 1918 in Nuziweedu, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was an actor and producer, known for Chadarangam (1967), Mayabazar (1957) and Bala Bharatam (1972). He was married to Leelavathi. He died on 18 July 1974 in Madras, India.- Jayan was born on 25 July 1939 in Kollam, Travancore, British India. He was an actor, known for Puthiya Velicham (1979), Sarapanjaram (1979) and Angaadi (1980). He died on 16 November 1980 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.
- Diane Ellis was born Jeanne Diane Ellis on December 20, 1909 in Los Angeles, California. He father Walter Ellis was a butcher. After her mother died Diane was raised by her grandparents. She attended Virgil Junior High and Fairfax High School. The beautiful blonde got a job working as a secretary at the Film Research Bureau. A director saw her and offered her a role in the 1927 comedy Is Zat So? (she was billed as Dione Ellis). Then she appeared in the films Happiness Ahead and The Leatherneck. Her performances got good reviews and her future seemed bright. Diane was signed by Pathe Studios and costarred with Carole Lombard in High Voltage.
When Pathe decided not to renew her contract she went to New York City and appeared in the Broadway show Nine-Fifteen Review. She also had a supporting role in the 1930 comedy Laughter starring Nancy Carroll. Sadly it would be her final film. On October 15, 1930 Diane married Stephen C. Millet, a wealthy businessman, in Paris, France The couple decided to go on an extended honeymoon around the world. In early December they were in Madras, India when Diane came down with an infection. According to her grandmother she had an operation in Madras. Tragically she died on December 15, 1930 at the young age of twenty. She was cremated and her ashes were taken to Millet family estate in Milford, England. - Director
- Writer
- Producer
S.R. Puttana Kanagal was born in 1933 in Kanagal, Karnataka, India. He was a director and writer, known for Ranganayaki (1981), Dharmasere (1979) and Maanasa Sarovara (1982). He died on 5 June 1985 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.- Actress
- Producer
Vijayalakshmi Vadlapati, also known as Silk Smitha, is an Indian actress and dancer who worked in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi films. Her first Tamil film was Vandichakkaram (1980), where she played the role of Silk, a bar girl. The film gained immense popularity, thus earning her the name Silk Smitha.
Smitha's bold performances and dance numbers made her a symbol of sensuality in the South Indian Film Industry. Smitha's dances gained so much popularity that they were used to boost the viewership of films that weren't performing as well. In some cases, distributors wanted her to appear in films to boost their performance.
Throughout her career, Smitha starred in over 500 films. She made the world record for appearing in the maximum number of films in a year in 1983, appeared in 44 films that year. However, when she entered the entertainment industry, she worked as an extra or domestic help for the main stars.
She began her career with the film Edutha Sabantham Mudipen (1979) and later starred in a series of Malayalam films, including Pushyaraagam (1979), Saraswathi Yaamam (1980), Ivar (1980), Karimpana (1980), and Angaadi (1980).
In 1981, she acted in numerous films, including Vayal (1981), Seethakoka Chilaka (1981), Inaye Thedi (1981), Poochasanyasi (1981), and many others. The following year, she starred in the award-winning romantic drama Moondram Pirai (1982), a cult classic in Tamil Cinema, alongside the late Sridevi and Kamal Haasan.
Smitha also acted alongside Rajinikanth in Paayum Puli (1983), where she portrayed the role of Roopa. She went on to star in films like Moondru Mugham (1982), Roshagadu (1984), Kaithi Rani (1986), Badla Aurat Ka (1987), Lady Tarzan (1983), Avasara Police 100 (1990), Chaitanya (1991), and Coimbatore Mappillai (1996) to name a few.
Her final role was in the Hindi film Haiwan (1998), released posthumously.
Smitha's impact on the entertainment industry is remembered even today. In 2011, Ekta Kapoor produced a biopic based on her life, The Dirty Picture (2011), starring Vidya Balan.- Actor
- Music Department
- Composer
Chittor V. Nagaiah was born on 28 March 1904 in Repalle Taluk, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was an actor and composer, known for Thyagayya (1946), Ramadasu (1964) and Naa Illu (1953). He died on 30 December 1973 in Madras, India.- Vijayashree was born on 8 January 1953 in Manacaud, Thiruvananthapuram, India. She was an actress, known for Thedi Vanda Mappillai (1970), Bangalore Mail (1968) and Kundan (1972). She died on 17 March 1974 in Madras, India.
- Composer
- Producer
- Writer
Indian musician, composer and film producer, born in Kakinada, Godavari, India, on the subcontinent's eastern shore in 1915. His first work was composing songs and music for theatrical events. In 1946, he served as composer and musical director for the film Palletoori Pilla, and married its star, Anjali Devi in 1948. Together they worked on numerous films, initially with him as composer or musical director, and later as he began to produce the films. He partnered with her in a production company, Anjali Pictures, headquartered in Madras. He died at 75 in Madras on January 25, 1990. He was survived by his wife. Their granddaughter is the Indian-American actress Sai Lang.- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Writer
T. Prakash Rao was born on 24 November 1924 in Krishna, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was a director and assistant director, known for The Good Son (1958), Suraj (1966) and Pitchi Pullaiah (1953). He died on 1 July 1992 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.- Director
- Producer
- Writer
B. Vithalacharya or B. Vittalacharya (18 January 1920 - 28 May 1999) was an Indian film director and producer known for his works in Telugu cinema and Kannada cinema. He was known as Jaanapada Brahma in the Telugu film arena. Vittalacharya formed his film production company Vittal Productions, which produced the first film directed by him, Rajya Lakshmi.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Adurthi Subba Rao (16 December 1912 - 1 October 1975) was an Indian film director, cinematographer, screenwriter, editor and producer known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema, Bollywood, and Tamil cinema. Rao is widely regarded as the intellectual fountainhead of Indian drama films. He has garnered seven National Film Awards. Rao made his foray into cinema as Associate to Uday Shankar in the 1948 dance film Kalpana, which was showcased in the "Treasures from National Film Archive of India" at the 39th International Film Festival of India- Director
- Writer
- Editorial Department
A. Bhimsingh was born on 15 July 1924 in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was a director and writer, known for Joroo Ka Ghulam (1972), Bhagapirivinai (1959) and Sadhu Aur Shaitaan (1968). He was married to Sukumari. He died on 16 January 1978 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.- Director
- Producer
- Writer
P.S. Ramakrishna Rao was born on 12 October 1918 in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India. P.S. Ramakrishna was a director and producer, known for Kanal Neer (1961), Laila Majnu (1949) and Vipranarayana (1954). P.S. Ramakrishna was married to Bhanumathi Ramakrishna. P.S. Ramakrishna died on 7 September 1986 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.- Actor
- Writer
- Music Department
Malayalam actor who had his roots in theatre. A major actor-playwright in the post-WW2 era with more than 90 plays. He ran the Pratibha Arts Club, an influential theatre group based in Ernakulam. In cinema, he was famous for playing villains. He has also directed, scripted and provided lyrics for movies. His best-known perfromance is in Nirmalayam (1973) as the priest torn between religious responsibilities and the amoral duplicity of those around him.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Major Sundarrajan was born in 1936 in Periyakulam, Tamil Nadu, India. He was an actor and director, known for Nenjalgal (1982), Andha Oru Nimidam (1985) and Oorum Uravum (1982). He died on 28 February 2003 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.- Annie Besant, English writer, socialist and feminist activist, was born in 1847, the only daughter of William B. P. Wood, a non-practicing physician, and the former Emily Morris. Both were Anglo-Irish Protestants. Annie was raised a devout Anglican, and religion remained an important factor throughout her life, providing the decisive spur to her pioneering work for social justice. Educated privately by Miss Marryat, sister of the novelist Frederick Marryat, Annie Wood married Frank Besant, a clergyman, in 1867. The marriage produced two children, a daughter, Mabel, and a son, Digby. Frank's mental cruelty and physical violence led to a legal separation in 1873 and Annie's abandonment of her naive Christianity. She was associated with the radical atheist Charles Bradlaugh (1833-1891) and the socialist Fabian Society. Besant and Bradlaugh published a treatise advocating birth control and were prosecuted; as a result she lost custody of her daughter. In 1889 she became a disciple of the Russian spiritualist and mystic Madame Blavatsky. Thereafter she went to India where she founded the Central Hindu College in 1898. Her Theosophy and the New Psychology was published in 1904. She became president of the Theosophical Society in 1907, a post she held until her death. She also became involved in the Indian independence movement, established the Indian Home Rule League in 1916, and became the only British woman to serve as president of the Indian National Congress in 1917.
- Marcus Paine was born on 6 November 1954 in Moscow, Idaho, USA. He died on 27 August 2016 in Madras, Oregon, USA.
- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Kunchacko was born in 1912 in Alleppey, India. Kunchacko was a producer and director, known for Unniyarcha (1961), Mainatharuvi Kola Case (1967) and Umma (1960). Kunchacko was married to Annamma Chacko.- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
K.B. Sundarambal was born in 1908 in India. She was an actress, known for Mahakavi Kalidasu (1960), Thiruvilayadal (1965) and Kandan Karunai (1967). She died in October 1980 in Madras, India.- Producer
- Director
A.V. Meiyappan was born on 28 June 1907 in Karaikkudi, Tamil Nadu, India. He was a producer and director, known for Vedhala Ulagam (1948), En Manaivi (1942) and Veera Thirumagan (1962). He died on 12 August 1979 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.- Director
- Producer
- Writer
S.S. Vasan was born on 10 March 1903 in Thiruthuraipundi, Tamil Nadu, India. He was a director and producer, known for Insaniyat (1955), Gharana (1961) and Bahut Din Huwe... (1954). He died on 26 August 1969 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.- Director
- Producer
- Writer
B.N. Reddi was born on 16 November 1908 in Kothapalli, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was a director and producer, known for Vande Mataram (1939), Swargaseema (1945) and Raja Makutam (1959). He died on 8 November 1977 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.