 Sivaji Ganesan, considered one of the finest actors the country had ever produced, never did get the honour of receiving the national award for best film actor. Despite featuring in over 300 films, most of them hits, several of which he carried on his shoulders as an actor par excellence, he must have been disappointed that the one coveted award eluded him.
Sivaji Ganesan might have come close to getting the national award but he wasn't destined to get it. It must have been galling for him when his film world rival M G Ramachandran, no match to Sivaji in the traditional concept of an actor, received the national award for his role as a rickshawpuller in
'Rickshawkaran'.
Ironoically, it was only his association with a Kamal Haasan-starrer, 'Thevar Magan', that fetched him a Special Jury award. Kamal Haasan had the won the national awards earlier.
Kamal Haasan said then that he was happy that the actor who was his guru and inspiration, who should have won national awards as best actor earlier, had at least been picked for the special jury award through his film.
However, it is a fact that for the jury which essentially comprised eminent men and women from West Bengal and Kerala, there was a lot of respect for Sivaji's work but his style of acting did not fit into their concept of acting as is understood to be in other parts of the world.
To them, the making of melodramatic forms, with excessive importance on long and loud dialogue, with acting taking on the form of over-acting, was not in keeping with the standards expected by them.
Subdued, underplayed performances have traditionally met more with their approval than loud portrayals.
Thus, Sivaji Ganesan, capable of being expressive, emotive and living every character that he portrayed, suffered due to the genre of film making in Kodambakkam and the concept of acting as has come to be understood in south India, barring
Kerala.
For the actor who revelled in tragedies of Shakesperean proportions on stage and for the silver screen, tragedy it was when it came to the national award.
However, as far as the masses were concerned, Tamil Nadu has not seen finer acting or stirring performances. Sivaji took on roles which most other actors would have refused straightaway without any hesitation. But he didn't so much as blink while accepting to play a blind man, a physically handicapped person in 'Bhaagapirivinai', or a man with a scarred face as in 'Deiva Magan' or a murderer in 'Puthiya Paravai', or a traitor as in 'Andha Naal' which film had no songs at all.
'Navarathri' had nine roles, which won international acclaim and left even thespians of Bollywood gasping.
However, there was no national award for his efforts.
Below is given a list of some of the awards he won during his illustrious career:
Under the 1966 Republic Awards, the President of India conferred on Sivaji Ganesan the prestigious title of
Padmashri.
In 1984, Sivaji Ganesan was honoured with the title of Padmabhushan by the President of India in recognition of his multifarious charitable and national activities and his outstanding contribution to the stage and screen of south India.
He was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Degree by Annamalai University, Chidambaram, in December 1986.
In 1992, he was honoured with a National Film Award, the Special Jury Award, for his performance in his 280th movie 'Thevar Magan' of Kamal
Haasan.
On April 14, 1993, the Adithanar Muthamizh Peravai, in recognition of his era as the golden age of Tamil cinema, honoured him with the 'Adithanar Gold Medal Award', for bringing honour and prestige to Tamils in general.
On April 24, 1993, the Dinanath Mangeshkar Pratishthan of Poona, named after the popular Musical Drama personality of yesteryear, Dinanath Masterji, the father of the Nightingale of the Indian screen, Lata Mangeshkar, honoured Sivaji Ganesan with the 'Dinanath Mangeshkar Purashkar', for his outstanding contribution towards art and the cultural tradition of India.
On August 27, 1993, the 'Santhome Special Award' was given by Santhome Communications Center, the cultural wing of the Tamil Nadu Bishops Council, to honour him for the great service he rendered to Tamil culture in his own inimitable way, by way of kindling the hearts and minds of the masses with a true sense of history, patriotism, devotion to God and high moral integrity, to enhance and strengthen the foundation of Tamil culture.
He was awarded the 'For the Sake of Honour' award by Rotary Clubs in Madras, Coimbatore & Trichy cities.
Sivaji was honoured by being invited as the chief guest to inaugurate the 26th International Film Festival of India, which was held at Bombay in January 1995, the Centenary Year of Cinema.
He was awarded the title of Chevalier, the Order of Arts and Literature by the Ministry of Culture, Government of France. This is one of the main decorations of the French Republic which is conferred to honour the most original and talented personalities, for their remarkable contributions in the field of Arts and Literature in France and all over the world.
On April 22 April, 1995, at a glittering ceremony held at the MCA stadium, Chennai, Sivaji Ganesan was presented the 'Chevalier' title and medallion by the French Ambassador to India, Philip Petit.
At the function, Sivaji Ganesan presented a cheque for Rs 1 lakh to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Relief Fund, and another Rs 1 lakh to the Film Employees Federation of South India. The balance of money after meeting all expenses (which was collected from the film industry to form the Chevalier Sivaji Ganesan Educational Trust) and the money accruing from these trust funds are being given towards education of children of poor film artistes.
During his visit to the US in June 1995, he visited Columbus City, the capital of Ohio. Participating in the dinner hosted to honour Sivaji Ganesan, the Mayor Greg Lashutka honoured him by announcing him as an 'Honorary Citizen' of Columbus City. On the same occasion, the Mayor of Mount Vernon, another city in the US, gave him a special welcome citation.
The 'Columbus Tamil Sangam' was formulated that day, and Sivaji Ganesan made the honorary president of that association.
R Rangaraj
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