Today is the 88th birth anniversary of Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan who is the best actor Indian cinema has ever produced. Lakhs and lakhs of words have been spoken and written about this acting legend who has impacted every Indian actor in one way or other. Still there are a lot more to be written about this indisputable acting emperor on this special day.

Born in Soorakottai near Tanjore in 1928, Ganesan started acting in Tamil stage plays right from his teenage. Rationalist leader E.V.R.Periyar called him as Sivaji Ganesan being impressed his performance as Maratha warrior Sivaji in the drama Sivaji Kanda Indu Rajyam'. That became his name since then. It is an irony that it was a unrealised dream of Ganesan to act in a film as Periyar who gave him the name with which he is popularly known across the world even today

Many good actors use their eyes and facial expressions to enact the character with perfection. But Sivaji is the actor whose every visible part of the body will act as the character and his voice that is as magnificent as a lion's roar is one of his biggest pluses that made people admire and revere him. He is aptly called as Simmakuralon'.

Sivaji's on-screen charisma is so strong that if he is on the screen the audience can not help focussing on him even if he remains dormant in that particular scene. That's why most of the directors who cast him. enlarged the scope of the character even when he plays supporting roles.

The iconic actor and commercial superstar Sivaji was so committed and sincere to his profession and he always adhered to the words of the director on the sets. He has never minded about his image and has acted in any kind of role. He has acted as a 80 year old when his real age was around 40.Punctuality and strict adherence to schedules is another trait that every other person should imbibe from him. Through out his career that lasted above five decades, he has never come late to work.

Sivaji Ganesan has acted as Hindu Gods such as Lord Shiva, Vishnu,Krishna and Narada on silver screen; He immortalised devotional characters like the Aalwars and Nayanmars. The historic characters like King Ashoka, Harishchandra, Raja Raja Chozhan and Independence struggle icons such as Veerapandiya Kattabomman, V.O.Chidambaram, Bharathiyar, Bhagath Singh. Nethaji Subash Chandra Bose, Kodikatha Kumaran and many others got a re-life through his splendid acting.

He is the first actor in the world to enact nine different characters in the same film which is the super hit Navaratri'. He played triple roles in Deivamagan' which was nominated for the prestigious Oscars.

He won the pretigious Chevalier and Dada Sahib Phalke Awards considered as the the highest degree of honour for film personalities. He has also won Indian Government's civilian honours Padmasri and Padmba Bhushan.

Sivaji Ganesan passed away on July 21, 2001 due to age related ailment. But his legacy will stay as long as Indian films are alive.

IndiaGlitz takes pride in saluting the legendary Nadigar Thilagam on this special occasion.