MGR’s Veerappa

R M Veerappan was no exception to the rule in the first few decades of the 20th century, of artistically inclined boys from impoverished families joining ‘Boys Companies’ or professional dramatic companies comprised mostly of young boys that toured the country enacting stage plays on demand. The boys sought to join the companies mainly to get two square meals a day. If they were lucky and resourceful in the field, popularity would drive away their want and perhaps even end the poverty of their families. Boys who were a draw at the box office were pampered, their parents allowed to travel with them in special comfort.

Having lost his father early in life, RMV was supported by relatives and could not continue in school. He worked in petty shops before joining the drama troupe Bala Shanmukhananda Sabha of the famous TKS brothers.

T K Shanmugam, a great thespian and theatre personality, kept a diary on the theatrical fortunes of his troupe as well as the individuals who were part of it. Of RMV, who joined the company in his mid-teens, he had this to say: “He was a disciplined youth. He would not get into any trouble with anybody. He took up some small roles. Even at that young age, his handwriting was beautiful. Our accountant made good use of him in writing the accounts. I have seen him aiding the accountant in this manner many times. I thought that he would make a mark as a manager.” TKS adds that RMV was friendly with the actor S V Subbaiah, who later made waves as a character artist in Tamil cinema. It seems both of them were very religious and wore the sacred ash on their foreheads with great reverence.

Once RMV left the drama company, he became involved in the Dravidian movement, and his religious fervour was called into question. He became close to Dravidian leaders E V Ramasamy (Periyar) and C N Annadurai, and was a propagandist in more ways than one of the movement’s ideals before returning to Madras and joining film star M G Ramachandran as the manager of his MGR Nataka Mandram, on Oct 1, 1953. MGR, at this time, insisted every person involved with him should be a DMK supporter.

Though RMV joined MGR for the specific purpose of managing his drama troupe of 40 artists and its engagements, his single-minded application, diligence, and loyalty to his employer made him a key personality managing MGR’s affairs in the whole gamut of drama, cinema, fan clubs, and politics.

MGR would address him as Veerappa, which can be taken as a shortened, casual form of his name but is also its vocative case, signifying that he was always at the beck and call of MGR, and that was his calling. MGR, in his autobiographical memories (Naan Yen Pirandhen), while recounting what a landmark 160 Lloyds Road in Chennai was in his life, mentions Veerappan. “It was here that Thiru R M Veerappan worked as the manager of my drama and cinema companies on a monthly salary I paid him. Again, it was here that he founded Sathya Movies, his own production concern, and I accepted my remuneration from him for acting in his films!” RMV had indeed come a long way from the nondescript Vallathirakottai village in Pudukkottai district, where he was born, becoming the employer of the very person who employed him!

MGR was in a somewhat dicey situation with his party leadership when he acted in RMV’s first production, ‘Deiva Thaai’ (1964), but songs like ‘Moondrezhuthil en moochirukkum’ (In the three letters is my life) put all doubts to rest by categorically affirming his zest for the party.

RMV’s ‘Kavalkaran’ was the first film MGR undertook after being shot in the neck; the decision to retain MGR’s speaking voice despite its impaired tonality and the film’s success despite this drawback affirmed the overwhelming support that MGR enjoyed with his fans. In the superhit film, ‘Rickshawkaran’ (1971), the fact that RMV managed to trip MGR on his favourite heroine, J Jayalalitha, by bringing in Manjula, just about a school kid, showed that as the keeper of MGR’s confidences RMV knew how to steal a march on his mentor.

MGR had not liked the ‘Rickshawkaran’ song, ‘Azhagiya thamizh magal ival’, which was in fact a paean to the heroine’s beauty, but not only did RMV retain the song, but also had it shot with ambitious sets and in a splash of colour and costume.

RMV’s long years with MGR as well as in EMGEEYAR Pictures’ story department made him adept at devising the winning formula for successful commercial films. This was one of the reasons why Sathya Movies was able to come up with huge hits such as ‘Kakki Sattai’ (1985) with Kamal Haasan and ‘Baasha’ (1995) with Rajinikanth. The latter, who has affirmed his deep, emotional, and sacred friendship with RMV, acted in six films for Sathya Movies, but his words against the ruling dispensation during Baasha’s victory celebration resulted in RMV getting the political boot, being demoted in Jayalalitha’s cabinet and then dropped altogether, exhibiting how films and politics are closely intertwined in Tamil Nadu.

(The writer is an author and historian of Tamil cinema)

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