Mike Tyson hit the headlines in 1997 when on June 28th during the infamous Evander Holyfield vs Mike Tyson boxing match he bit and cut off his opponents ears. Interestingly our own Nadigavel M.R. Radha has done something much similar decades earlier during his days as a drama actor.

According to historians the Iyer Drama troupe staged plays in the Nagapattinam area. Radha who was part of the troupe even in his younger days had uncontrollable anger and he always kept fighting with his costar T.K. Sambangi. During one such fight Radha bit and cut off Sambangi's ears and the victim was screaming in pain with blood pouring out. Later the Nadigavel shared that he was very much afraid and feared that he would hang to death. He was shivering so badly that he had severe loose motion and was affected by the cholera disease and the stage owner had to call his relatives to take him home.

Later when M.R. Radha recovered and resumed his work in the same troupe as an actor K.Sarangapani and other costars started calling him by the nickname Cholera.