
Outstanding portrayal of the character of Chhatrapati Shivaji in the stage play Shivaji Kanda Hindu Rajyam earned him the title "Sivaji" which was conferred on him at a public function presided over by E. This made him hero of the troupe in the long run. Ganesan was an intellectual boy who could remember lengthy linesĮasily and could present them to the audience brilliantly with He was trained in Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Manipuri. From the drama troupe trainers he was very lucky enough to learn acting and dancing skills. At the age of 10, he moved to Tiruchirappalli and joined a drama troupe in Sangiliyandapuram and began to perform in stage plays. Ganesan's inspiration for acting was inborn when he got a chance toĪct on stage for a touring drama company he took it without his father'sĬonsent at the age of seven. In spite of his celebrated film career, his short stint in politics became a futile attempt.

He received in 1998 the NTR National Award. During end of his career, Ganesan was conferred the highest and the most prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his contribution to Indian cinema in 1997. From Parasakthi onwards, he has won the President's Award for more than 12 times. He is referred to as "The Marlon Brando of Indian Cinema". Ganesan is remembered as the iconic figure of Tamil cinema. He was also the first Indian actor to be made a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Many leading South Indian film actors have stated that their acting was influenced by Ganesan. In an International film festival, the Afro-Asian Film Festival held in Cairo, Egypt in 1960. Ganesan was the first Indian film actor to win a "Best Actor" award In a career spanning close to five decades he has acted in nearly 300 films in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi.

He progressed from a stage actor since his childhood to the filmdom with such an authority that the Tamil cinema considered as the golden era. He was well known for his versatility and acting skills with numerous roles depicted on screen. Viluppuram Chinnaiahpillai Ganesan Manrayar, commonly known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan (1 October 1928 – 21 July 2001),was an Indian stage and film actor active during the latter half of the 20th century and was one of the most respected film actors in India.
