MG Ramachandran, fondly known as Puratchi Thalaivar (Leader of the Revolution), remains one of the most prominent figures in the Tamil film industry. He not only won the hearts of the audience with his brilliant performances but also took Tamil cinema to unprecedented heights. His films are often welcomed by huge audiences, often playing in theaters, some lasting more than 100 days. His notable works include the 1945 hit film Salivahanan directed by BN Rao, which recently celebrated its 79th release anniversary on February 16.

Even though Salivahanan didn’t cast MGR in the titular role, it was still a major milestone in his career. Starring Ranjan, MG Ramachandran, TR Rajakumar and KLV Vasantha, the film received critical acclaim from the audience.

Salivahanan is based on the folk tale of the same name and tells the story of a king who was born into a family of potters. According to legend, his mother’s pregnancy was attributed to divine intervention. However, after being expelled from the kingdom and seeking refuge with the potters, Salivahanan was born. In the film, Ranjan plays the role of Salivahanan, while MGR plays King Vikramaditya, who is also the villain of the film. The story unfolds as Salivahanan falls in love with Princess Chandralekha, played by TR Rajakumari, leading to a fight between Salivahanan and Vikramaditya A climactic sword battle begins for the throne of the king. In the end, Salivahanan won and ascended the throne.

An interesting anecdote from the sets of Salivahanan recalls a moment during the shooting of a sword fight between Ranjan and Ramachandran. Ramachandran allegedly expressed concerns to the director about Ranjan’s overly realistic fencing techniques, fearing he might get injured.

The film is produced by Bhasker Pictures and has music by Nagercoil K. Mahadevan.

Despite its huge success, MGR continued to delight audiences with numerous films, often running a packed schedule to avoid conflicting release dates. However, his brilliant career was cut short when he died in 1987 at the age of 70. However, his legacy lives on through his iconic contribution to Tamil cinema.