Potpourri of titbits about cinema - Vijayakumari

Q: Tell us about your experience with MGR and Sivaji Ganesan …

A: I can never forget these two great actors till my death. When I had to separate from my husband due to circumstances I bought a house with loan money. MGR helped me a lot by getting me work in many films including Chinnappa Devar’s productions. I repaid the loan with my earnings through my work in films like ‘Vivasaayi’, ‘Thaer thiruvizhaa’, ‘Kanavan’ etc. ‘Kanchi thalaivan’ was my first film with MGR. I did the role of his sister and MGR considered me his real sister till end, I can never forget his affection. I had acted with Sivaji in a number of films. He would always encourage his co-artistes and instill self-confidence in their minds. I was his sister in ‘Pachai vilakku’, ‘Savalae samaali’, his daughter in ‘Paar magalae paar’, his elder sister in ‘Anbai thedi’, his cousin in ‘Kungumam’ and his wife in ‘Rajaraja chozhan’. And, in the film ‘Santhi’ too, I did the role of a woman who became his wife due to circumstances. I had acted in all types of relationships with him. I had acted with all the leading heroes of the day, including Jayashankar, Muthuraman, Ravichandran, A. V. M. Rajan, and T. M. Soundararajan (‘Kallum kaniyaakum’). I consider all these opportunities as my fortune.

Vijayakumari had acted with the fourth generation heroes Rajini, Prabhu, Karthik, Rajkiran and Murali too. Her last film is ‘Kaadhal sadugudu’. Vijayakumari is by herself a school for acting. She should teach and train the present fifth generation artistes and make them understand the sanctity of the profession in the field of art. This is my humble and loving request to this great artiste.