“If you choose acting as your profession, you’ve to only act …” - Jeevarathnam

I arranged for an interactive session between the popular playback singer T. M. Soundarrajan and the veteran actor of yesteryear U. R. Jeevarathnam at the festival got up at the ‘Arulmigu Chellaandi Amman’ temple at Oonjalur of Periyar District. Both discussed the music world at length. The interaction was published along with photographs as a story in the Tamil film magazine Bommai issue, dated 15th February, 1987. After this event, I discussed with Jeevarathnam many topics, particularly the happenings in the cinema field.

“My father’s name was Subramaniam, my mother’s was Kunjammaal. I was born in the year 1927 at Oonjalur. My father was the village ‘karnam’ (accountant). I was very much interested in music right from the time of my school days and I could sing very well also. Angamuthu, a very popular comedienne of that time helped me join a drama troupe. I used to watch the acting style of everyone with attention. When Salem Modern Theatres was founded, I joined it as an artiste. I was only ten year of age at that time. I acted in the company’s maiden production ‘Sathi Ahalya’, released in 1937. When the film released, I went to my home town. People gave me a red carpet welcome and my relatives celebrated my film entry with firework. And, I was given minor roles in the company’s succeeding productions. I was made the heroine of the film ‘Bhakta Gowri’ when I was just fourteen. In one of the magazines, my age was mentioned stating ‘Heroine at 14 years’. My song ‘Theruvil vaaraandi … Velan theruvil vaaraandi …’ of this film became a hit and was heard in every nook and corner of the town. I donned the role of Kavunthiyadigal’ in the film ‘Kannagi’ (1942) and all the songs sung by me in the film became big hits. I was one of the four heroines of the great hero P. U. Chinnappa in the film Jagadalaprathabhan. Then followed ‘Poompaavai’, in which, I paired with K. R. Ramasamy, another great hero of the time.