Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran Menon aka MGR was the first movie star to become a chief minister in India.
After him came N T Rama Rao in Andhra Pradesh and then his movie protege and political heir Jayalalitha Jayaram in Tamil Nadu.
MGR founded the All India Anna Dravida Kazagham after he broke away from M Karunanidhi and the DMK in 1972.
Recent generations may recall Mohanlal playing the MGR character in Mani Ratnam's Iruvar, Indrajith Sukumaran playing the MGR-like character in the Web series Queen and Arvind Swami playing MGR in Kangana Ranaut's recent film, Thalaivi.
MGR died on December 24, 1987 after a ten-year tenure as Tamil Nadu chief minister. His mausoleum on Chennai's Marina Beach is still visited by his admirers and one story has it that you can hear MGR's wrist watch ticking away if you place your ear close to the vault.
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IMAGE: AIADMK candidate Daniel Sachin Mani, who is contesting from the 35th ward of Perambur constituency, dressed up as his party's founder MGR, greets a voter at Moolakadai, Chennai, February 7, 2022, during his campaign for the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Body Elections.
Photograph: ANI Photo
Photograph curated by Anant Salvi/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com