No memorial yet for MKT Bhagavathar, south India’s first superstar

The contrast in the life and death of Thyagaraja Bhagavathar was highlighted by a few of his fans who paid glowing tributes on his death anniversary on Tuesday. They were a dejected lot as their long-pending demand for a fitting memorial at the site had not materialised yet. 

Thousands had thronged the house of Thyagaraja Bhagavathar in Tiruchy to see their favourite star when he occasionally appeared on the balcony of his house. He had died on November 1, 1959.

He was always in the limelight for his repertoire in acting and the wealth he accumulated through his profession. During his heyday, Bhagavathar was treated like a demigod by his fans and some went to the extent of comparing him with celestial beings.

For some of his fans, he was almost like the uncrowned prince of Tiruchy. He had his own horse, a pure white one seen in the opening song of the film Haridas. He had built a palatial house in Tiruchy, recalled his fans. 

“MKT moved freely among his fans especially women who longed to see him at least once in their lifetime. His films usually ran for months and Haridas (1944) set a stunning record by running uninterrupted for 114 weeks at Broadway Cinema in the state capital. It even ran through three Deepavali festivals in 1944, 1945 and 1946. This matinee idol was an excellent singer with a rich and melodious voice,” they added.

Meanwhile, one of MKT’s distant relatives and the organiser of the death anniversary commemoration at his tomb in Tiruchy, said that they have been appealing to the state government to construct a memorial at the tomb. “Being an inspiration to thousands of young actors, MKT deserves a state honour at least on his birth and death anniversaries,” he said. 

His fans who had come to pay their respects to the thespian said, “Bhagavathar had taken the cinema in Tamil Nadu to the next level. He encouraged many young men like MGR. At a meeting at Thevar Hall in Tiruchy during 1965, MGR had acknowledged the contributions of the first superstar of southern cinema.” 

The fans were upset with the Nadigar Sangam too for the association never cared to pay tributes to the yesteryear hero. 

N Natarajan (70) from Srirangam, an ardent fan of MKT, who paid tribute to the actor by singing his famous songs at the tomb on Tuesday said, “The irony is that the first superstar of south Indian cinema was not even honoured by the Nadigar Sangam in the state. No one even cared to give a tribute to the greatest of them all.” 

S Rajendran another organiser of the event said, “The Nadigar Sangam can at least organise an event in honour of the famous matinee idol.”