Sivaji Ganesan’s gift of baby elephant to American children and his U.S. visit as state guest

Sivaji Ganesan, the legendary thespian of Tamil cinema, was often compared with Marlon Brando, 1 of Hollywood’s top actors, arsenic some were celebrated for their mastery of method acting. Yet the 2 had ne'er met until 1962, erstwhile Sivaji Ganesan was invited to the United States arsenic portion of the U.S.–India Cultural Exchange Programme, reportedly aft President John F. Kennedy inquired astir him.

What had drawn Kennedy’s attraction was Sivaji Ganesan’s antithetic acquisition to the children of the United States — a babe elephant. Sivaji had a person astatine the U.S. Consulate successful Chennai, and erstwhile helium asked what acquisition from India would delight American children, the proposition acceptable him thinking.

“He pondered deeply. At last, helium decided helium would nonstop them a babe elephant. From India, the small elephant was flown each the mode to Indianapolis successful the United States,” writes Dr. S.A.P. Jawahar Palaniappan, the noted cardiologist who aboriginal treated Sivaji Ganesan.

In his book Sivaji: My Guest successful America — The Untold Story of the Legend, Dr. Palaniappan — lad of S.A.P. Annamalai, the precocious exertion of Kumudham — records respective conversations and incidents from Sivaji Ganesan’s visit. During the trip, Sivaji was treated arsenic a authorities guest, assigned 2 officials to assistance him, and fixed a regular allowance of $160, a sizeable sum astatine the time.

Sivaji Ganesan meets Marlon Brando

One of the astir memorable moments of the sojourn came erstwhile Sivaji Ganesan met Marlon Brando connected the sets of the film The Ugly American. The 2 actors spoke astatine magnitude astir cinema and India. A funny Sivaji asked Brando whether helium had watched immoderate Indian films.

“I’ve seen Satyajit Ray’s films,” Brando replied. “They amusement India’s poorness — children playing successful gutters with pigs, women pushed into prostitution by hardship. I was heartbroken. Is India truly similar that?”

Quietly but firmly, Sivaji responded: “In America, wealthiness surrounds you. India’s poorness whitethorn look to you arsenic a benignant of spectacle. But retrieve — what you spot successful those films is lone 1 look of India, not the whole. You cannot justice an full federation from that alone.”

He past made a striking point. “I americium an actor, and truthful are you. Look astatine maine — the mode I dress, the mode I speak, the mode I transportation myself. Do you find thing lacking? Now archer maine again: what is your sentiment of India?”

Brando did not reply. Instead, helium lifted his cupful of java and took a dilatory sip. Sivaji would aboriginal accidental with pridefulness that though Brando did not answer, helium believed the Hollywood prima had reconsidered his views astir India that day. Sivaji Ganesan had recalled these incidents and anecdotes during a meal astatine Dr. Jawahar Palaniappan’s residence which was attended by Mayor of Colombus Greg Lashutka, who presented him the cardinal to the city, and the Mayor of Mount Vernon.

Dr. Jawahar Palaniappan records that galore of these recollections were narrated to him straight by Sivaji Ganesan during his enactment arsenic his impermanent successful the United States. The cardiologist would aboriginal successfully dainty Sivaji with modern medicines, avoiding the country that had earlier been suggested by a French doctor.

Sivaji and Hollywood enactment movies

Despite his estimation for portraying aggravated and superior roles successful Tamil cinema, Sivaji Ganesan had a amazingly playful broadside erstwhile it came to watching films. He was peculiarly fond of Hollywood enactment movies.

When Dr. Palaniappan — who had already collected much than 200 DVDs — asked Sivaji what helium would similar to watch, the reply came instantly: an enactment film.

“He watched those Hollywood enactment films with joyous enthusiasm. During the archetypal scenes, helium would sway his hand, determination his caput and exclaim: ‘That is it! Hit him again — 1 much punch!’ He became 1 with the film. That day, I discovered a new, playful broadside of Sivaji,” writes Dr. Palaniappan.

Among the actors helium peculiarly admired were Clint Eastwood, Sean Connery and, of course, Marlon Brando — the precise prima with whom helium had erstwhile shared a memorable speech astir India.

Dr. Palaniappan besides arranged an interrogation for the section daily The Columbus Dispatch, introducing Sivaji arsenic the “Marlon Brando of South Indian cinema.” The paper carried an awesome full-page diagnostic connected him, implicit with colour photographs.

Favourite histrion of Sivaji’s wife

Dr. Palaniappan’s publication does not confine itself to Sivaji Ganesan’s sojourn to the United States and his enactment astatine his residence. It extends into a biographical narrative, revealing respective little-known details astir the actor.

Sivaji Ganesan whitethorn person been a towering fig successful cinema, but during their enactment successful the United States, his wife, Kamala, told Dr. Palaniappan’s parent that her favourite histrion was nary different than M.G. Ramachandran (MGR).

When Sivaji turned his caput towards the conversation, Kamala rapidly clarified: “You person your ain unsocial benignant successful acting. Just similar that, MGR has his ain style. I hap to similar his benignant — that is each I meant. But you are the Nadigar Thilagam. There is nary 2nd sentiment astir that.”

Though the fans of Sivaji and MGR often clashed implicit the merits of their films, the 2 actors — friends from their theatre days — shared a heavy bond. When MGR was undergoing attraction successful the United States, helium wished to spot Sivaji Ganesan and visited him on with his wife. “Seeing him made maine profoundly blessed — but I could not power my tears,” the publication recalls Sivaji Ganesan arsenic saying.

Another histrion whom Sivaji admired greatly was M.R. Radha, whom helium affectionately called Radha Anna (elder brother). “Radha Anna was not lone a lion successful acting. He knew each occupation successful the theatre — adjacent electrical work,” Sivaji would often say.