2 J JAYALALITHAA | A LIFETIME OF ROLES
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016
HOW AN AMBITIOUS STUDENT AND ASPIRING LAWYER EMBRACED THE ARC LIGHTS AND THEN EMERGED TO LEAD
AIADMK AND SERVE AS CHIEF MINISTER FOUR TIMES IS AS MUCH THE STORY OF TAMIL NADU AS IT IS OF JAYALALITHAA
ALWAYS IN THE
SPOTLIGHT
Vaasanthi
I
t is difficult to believe that
J Jayalalithaa, 68, is no more. The
most colourful period in the re-
cent political history of Tamil
Nadu has come to an abrupt end.
For more than two decades Jayalalithaa
loomed large on the horizon, in the
minds of the public as a benevolent des-
pot, a tough politician, an unforgiving
leader, a vengeful opponent and an un-
friendly, intolerant chief minister who
dragged journalists and opposition lead-
ers to court on defamation charges.
During her reign, the fourth one
running, there was fear in the corridors
of power ministers and officials
remained taciturn, afraid to utter a word
without her consent; partymen, young
THE GRIP SHE HAD ON
THE PARTY WAS
SOMETHING OF A
PHENOMENON, NOT
HEARD OF EVEN DURING
THE TIME OF HER MENTOR
M G RAMACHANDRAN.
SHE TIRELESSLY WADED
THROUGH THE NUMEROUS
TRIALS AND UPHEAVALS
IN HER LIFE, LEAVING
HER OPPONENTS AND
ADMIRERS SPEECHLESS
and old, fell at her feet; women wept and
circumambulated shrines and observed
penance when she fell ill or was jailed,
and some immolated themselves when
the courts indicted her.
The grip she had on the party was
something of a phenomenon, not heard
of even during the time of her mentor
M G Ramachandran. She tirelessly wad-
ed through the numerous trials and up-
heavals in her life, leaving her opponents
and admirers speechless. Yet, when she
lay unconscious in hospital for more than
two months, she seemed like an orphan
with no one next to her to call her own.
One wonders what kind of images
rolled in the dark labyrinths of her sub-
conscious. Could it be scenes of Jaya
Vilas, her grandfathers mansion in
Mysuru? Her father brought home dead
one night? The joyous years at Sacred
Heart Church Park school, with her
close friends Srimathi and Chandini?
The time she received the rolling shield
for Best Outgoing Student? Or the fights
She was a rare crossover heroine
Madan.Mohan1@timesgroup.com
F
ew people evoke such awe in the
peninsula as film stars and cricket-
ers. Capitalising on this appeal,
quite a few film stars have ven-
tured into politics. They do have
an edge when it comes to winning over the
masses, but history has shown that success
in cinema or cricket does not necessarily
guarantee a smooth passage to power.
South of the Vindhyas, a handful of film
personalities have made it to the top in poli-
tics; some even had a cult following. In un-
divided Andhra Pradesh, matinee idol
N T Rama Rao (NTR) floated his political
party, stormed to power and dominated the
political landscape of the state for years;
Kannada film star Rajkumar had a profound
influence on the political culture of the state
though he remained apolitical.
However, the manner in which Tamil film
personalities held sway over a people per-
haps has no parallel. This was chiefly be-
cause the DMK used films to propagate its
core ideology upliftment of the down-
trodden. DMK founder C Annadurai and
his successor Karunanidhi, both of
whom led governments, saw the
power of the medium and used it
effectively to connect with the peo-
ple. M G Ramachandran (MGR)
dominated the Tamil film indus-
try and was revered by millions,
a following he carried into the
political arena and later
launched the AIADMK. Tak-
ing the cue from these stal-
warts, many film stars
with a sizeable fan base
too entered the political
field. Shivaji Ganesan, who
virtually ruled Tamil cinema
for decades, dabbled in politics, but
never made it big. It was no differ-
ent for Karthik, a popular actor.
Vijayakanth, who had a chequered
career in cinema and a mass follow-
ing, formed the DMDK and did make
inroads into the political arena, but
with limited impact. Rajinikanth,
who has a cult following akin to
MGRs, let wiser counsel prevail and
gave politics a wide berth.
It was Jayalalithaa, a successful
yesteryear film star, who made it to the
she had with her mother when she was
asked to give up her education and join
when introduced to MGR, the matinee
idol? Was there a smile looking back?
films? Or the lack of awe she displayed Did the smile fade at the memory of the
top after Karunanidhi and MGR. Her
achievement is all the more remarkable con-
sidering the odds she had to overcome. Eve-
rything she represented seemed to go against
the mores of a largely conservative, patriar-
chal society rooted in Dravidian ideology.
Jayalalithaa had beauty, brains and out-
standing histrionic talent, but raised quite
a few eyebrows when she became the first
woman in Tamil cinema to don skirts and
swimming costumes. Notwithstanding her
popularity, reservations were expressed over
being led by an actress.
It was ironic that the upholders of lofty
feminist ideals of E V R Periyar, founder of
the Dravidian movement, had qualms about
accepting a woman as their leader. It was
no mean feat for Jayalalithaa to get a foot-
hold in the AIADMK that she joined in 1982.
Only after her mentor MGR ordered his
cadre to accord her due respect
that she rose through the ranks
and eventually took over the
mantle after his death. Hypoc-
risy and sexism were seen in
their most shocking form in the
Assembly on March 25, 1989
when Jayalalithaa, who was
the opposition leader, was
manhandled by DMK legis-
lators amid violence and
pandemonium.
Jayalalithaa, 68, was a
brahmin. Anti-brah-
minism was the bedrock
of the Dravidian movement
that sought to demolish the so-
cial hierarchy. But she dispelled
notions of casteist superiority by
reaching out to the oppressed.
The welfare schemes she intro-
duced gained nationwide, even
global attention. Says Uma Vangal,
faculty at LV Prasad Film & TV
Academy, She consolidated the im-
age of a champion of women in her
first stint as CM through her cradle
baby scheme, girl child adoption, all
women police stations and 30% quota
for women in all police jobs and paving
the way for all women establishments.
An iconoclast that she was, Jay-
alalithaa did shatter the glass ceiling.
Perhaps it was for this that her follow-
ers, nay devotees, called her Puratchi
Thalaivi (revolutionary leader).
THE TIMES OF INDIA, CHENNAI
FROM STAGE TO STATECRAFT
Academic achiever, superstar, brash chief minister, benevolent
head of a welfare state and Amma for the masses, J Jayalalithaa
seemed to reinvent herself every decade of her life
Feb 24, 1948 1991 Wins assembly election in
alliance with Congress riding
Born in Mysuru, Karnataka, in on sympathy wave following Rajiv Gandhi
a Tamil Iyengar family, assassination; becomes TN chief minister;
originally from Srirangam in during the 1991-96 term, sets up the
Tamil Nadu single-window system for project
clearance in her first regime. In
1950s Moves to Chennai
after her
fathers death. Mother
the mid-1990s, Ford, Sterlites
copper unit, Nokia, Dupont,
Michelin set up shop in TN
Veda takes screen name
Sandhya and enters films.
Jayalalithaa studies in Sacred
Heart School, Church Park; a
1995 Hosts opulent
wedding for her foster
son, who she later disowns
good student and a gifted
aborted love life she shared with an- classical dancer, she wants
1996 AIADMK defeated
other actor, which was resented by the to be a lawyer in assembly polls
mentor? After that momentous intro- following a series of corruption
duction to MGR, her persona underwent
a radical transformation she plunged 1961 Acts in
Epistle, an
English experimental
allegations. Actor Rajinikanth
campaigns for DMK on TV
with his famous line:
headlong into a world of dreams and
frustrations; of schemers and manipu- film made by Shankar Even God cannot save
lators; of demons and gods. Giri, former President Tamil Nadu if AIADMK returns to
She felt lonely in that crowd and V V Giris son; in the early power. DMK-TMC combine
tired of the machinations of those seek- 60s, she raised funds for sweeps to power
former chief minister C N
1996
ing to separate her from MGR. They did Tansi land
not know that she too wanted to remain Annadurais Home Rule
journal with her dance acquisition
free. She could not tell anyone how over- case filed against her and aide
bearing and dominating he was. He drama, Kaveri Thantha Kalaiselvi
Sasikalaa. Seven other cases
1963
controlled all her activities, including Plays role of a geisha in The against her; arrested in December, gets
the clothes she wore; he had control over Tea House of August Moon, a bail a month later
her finances. It became so stifling that play directed by Archibald McLeod
at some point she felt the need to cut
herself free.
MGR too, immersed in politics by 1964 Makes her debut in Kannada
film Chinnada Gombe,
1998 AIADMK-BJP alliance wins 30
of 39 Lok Sabha seats in TN,
AIADMK gets 18
then, drifted away for a while. She acted produced by B R Panthulu
with other male stars till she nearly lost
interest in the arc lights. She believed
1965 Enters Tamil films
with Vennira
1999 AIADMK aligns with Congress
for Lok Sabha polls after
toppling BJP govt; they lose and
she was cut out for things better than
being a glamour doll. After nearly 10 Aadai at the age of 16; AIADMK wins just 10 seats
plays an
2000
years, the turning point came when she Chennai court
emotionally
was made the AIADMK party propa-
ganda secretary and then an MP. unstable widow convicts Jayalalithaa
in Pleasant Stay Hotel case, Tansi
She was sidelined when MGR fell ill. who falls in
case; orders fine and imprisonment
When he died, she was nobody. How love with a
man until she and bars her from contesting 2001
she emerged to lead the party when it
became rudderless and went on to remembers her past; assembly polls
2001
become chief minister for four terms is makes her first film AIADMK, led by
as much the story of Tamil Nadu as it with MGR, Aayirathil
Oruvan
Jayalalithaa, wins 132 of
140 seats in the assembly election; she is
is of Jayalalithaa.
1966
In the 1980s, when she joined politics, First sworn in chief minister but Supreme Court
anyone would have ruled out the pros- paired with Sivaji Ganesan in disqualifies her. Madras high court later
pect of a brahmin woman finding ac- Motor Sundaram Pillai. They did 14 films acquits her of all charges; also the term in
which she boldly disqualifies striking
ceptance as the leader of a Dravidian
party, leave alone becoming a goddess Acted in more than 140 films in Tamil, government employees, stops free power
of the masses. In Tamil Nadu, however, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi and to farmers, raises rice price in ration
the unthinkable can happen. People English shops, hikes bus fares and passes an anti-
who chanted, Tamil is our breath, had forcible conversion law
no difficulty in accepting the non-Tamil
MGR and the woman born in Mysuru
1968 Bollywood debut Izzat with
Dharmendra
2002 Wins byelection from
Andipatti and becomes chief
to Iyengar parents who spoke Kannada
minister
as their leaders.
She strengthened her grip over the
party in spite of humiliating defeats in
1996 and 2006. Her vote bank remained
2004 AIADMK fails to win a single
Lok Sabha seat; rolls back
all steps, reinstates govt staff, restores
intact. Never mind the sloppiness of her free power to farmers
regimes and corruption. Her welfare
schemes worked. She came back with a
stunning majority after every defeat. 2006 Loses assembly election to
Karunanidhis DMK.
Dismissing govt staff and other seemingly
She did not worry about what would
happen to the party after she was gone. tough administrative decisions cost her
It was always the war between her and
Karunanidhi that had to be won. It was
her fight.
1969 Deiva Magan with
Jayalalithaa and Sivaji
Ganesan is the first Tamil film to be
2009 Her alliance, including
MDMK, PMK and Left, wins
12 of 39 Lok Sabha seats
With her death, Tamil Nadu politics submitted by India for the Oscars in the
has lost its colour and verve. foreign language category
2006-10 Frequently retires to
her Kodanadu estate
(The writer is the author of
Amma: Jayalalithaas Journey from 1960-70 By the end of the
1960s establishes
herself as the highest paid Tamil actress of
in the Nilgiris district and issues
occasional statements to the press
Movie Star to Political Queen)
the time. Paired with MGR in 27 films,
including blockbusters Chandrodayam
(1966), Kaavalkaran (1967), Adimai Penn
2011 Sweeps TN assembly election,
with AIADMK front winning
203 of 234 seats (AIADMK alone got 150);
(1969), Arasa Kattalai gains from DMKs entanglement in 2G
scam
1974 Makes her 100th film
Thirumangalyam (Tamil) with
Muthuraman and Sivakumar 2013 Sets up first Amma canteen
in Chennai to provide
subsidised food to all idli at `1, curd rice
1970-80 Cuts off links with
MGR
at `3, sambar rice at `5; there are now
more than 400 canteens across the state
1980 Makes last film, Nadhiyai
Thedi Vandha Kadal with
Sarath Babu. Had acted with every major
star in Telugu and Tamil in her 15 years in
Kollywood
1982
MGR inducts her into AIADMK
as propaganda secretary. Puts
her on committee to look after his new
noon meal scheme
2014 Wins 37 out of 39 Lok Sabha
seats; convicted in
disproportionate assets by a Karnataka
court and is jailed
2015 Acquitted by Karnataka high
1983 MGR nominates her to Rajya court; wins bypoll in RK Nagar
Sabha where her speeches and returns as chief minister but
catch the attention of Prime Minister complaints of being inaccessible and
Indira Gandhi. Jaya assigned seat 185, handling of December 2015 flood embitter
previously occupied by DMK founder the victory
2011-16
C N Annadurai Wipes out states
1984 Takes care of chronic power
deficit, turns Tangedco around;
AIADMKs
gives freebies, including fans,
assembly and
mixies, grinders to all 1.92
parliament election
crore ration card holders;
campaigns. Falls out
laptops for all higher
with MGR after his
secondary and college
return from the US
students; starts free cattle
where he had gone for
scheme that helped
treatment
boost Aavin milk
1987 MGR
dies.
AIADMK splits into
production. Her
cradle baby
scheme
Compiled by Julie Mariappan & Shalini Umachandran
two factions, one led improves sex
by her, another by ratio in
MGRs wife Janaki districts like
Salem
1989 Becomes
first
woman opposition
leader in TN assembly,
unites AIADMK and
2016
Wins election
becomes its general despite predictions
secretary. During an of DMK return.
argument in the house, First CM to hold
DMK members attack and power for two
MAKING HER DEBUT: Photos from Jayalalithaas first modelling portfolio shot for molest her. Vows to return consecutive terms
sari store Radha Silk Emporium for a calendar collection in the early 1960s to the House only as CM after MGR