Today is the 102nd birthday of M.G. Ramachandran the biggest superstar ever in Tamil cinema who was the first to convert his huge fan following into a major party the ADMK and became Chief Minister 1977. A point to be noted is that he was the first film actor in history to become head of a state in the world as Ronald Reagan became the President of the United States three years later in 1981.

All there is to be written about MGR has been done already about his philanthropy, kind-heartedness and pro-people stand. The numerous leading men in Tamil cinema aiming at the chief minister's chair will do well to note how MGR built his persona using the powerful medium of film. He made sure that his stories always had a moral and more importantly his character in his films were always upright. He spoon fed his ideologies through his film songs for years before he jumped into the fray. Whatever shortcomings MGR might have had he made sure that it never got to the public who only had the vision of his Mr. Clean image.

For a man who had very little education, MGR showed a brilliant acumen in feeling the pulse of the audiences to maintain a strike rate of 90 percent hits. He also made sure to instill in the people an unshakeable trust on him as a political leader. For his party the ADMK he has not only been the face but also the divine force that has ensured its survival 32 years after his death. With the passing away of his heir Jayalalitha, MGR has become more relevant now to the party which will have its acid test in two years time and if at all they win it would still be with the help of the MGR factor for sure.