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When I was searching for pictures of a few actors and actresses, I saw a picture of Sivaji under which I found this. This article is about how Sivaji grew up into an actor and how he attained so much fame. Some of the facts were really astonishing. So I thought I could share it with you people.

SIVAJI GANESAN
Along with M.G. Ramachandran, Sivaji Ganesan dominated Tamil Cinema to such an extent that the two automatically demanded Madras distribution rights in their contracts and could bankrupt a producer by causing production delays and stalling a film's release if they so desired.
Born Viluppuram Chinnaiah Ganesan in Sirkali, Tamil Nadu, his father moved to Viluppuram where he spent his early years. When he was seven, a travelling drama troupe came to Viluppuram. Sivaji acted as one of the soldiers in the play. His father was appalled that he had acted in some cheap drama and that too in a white man's part. He was lambasted and punished and ran away from home. He joined a drama troupe touring Tiruchi - Yadharathnam Ponnuswamy and Company. He told the owner he was an orphan and was taken under his wing. It was here that he honed his talents for music and dancing. He learnt Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kathakali and even Manipuri and also trained in Carnatic music. As he moved from troupe to troupe, his reputation as an actor grew.
Sivaji acted on the stage when it was scandalous for women to do so. He played several roles of women on the stage. One of his favourites was Noorjehan. To quote him...

I used to do the Kathak and at every step, I got resounding applause.

He made his reputation as an actor in C.N. Annadurai's Sivaji Kanda Indhu Rajyam, a historical on the Maratha Emperor Shivaji. He was asked to play the role at the last moment when the lead actor (an unknown MGR!) backed out. It is said he memorized the entire 95 pages of dialogues in a day! Such was his impact that the play also gave him his screen name.
Sivaji followed Annadurai when he started the DMK in 1949. He made his film debut playing the lead role in Parasakthi (1952).The film is one of the most controversial films in the history of Tamil Cinema, replete with assonant monologues. It owed its success in large part to its dialogues written by Karunanidhi who used the film to express his ideas on religion, god and priesthood. The success of the film not only made Sivaji a star, but also the official icon of the DMK party for some years.
However in the mid-1950s, a trip to Tirupathi saw him fall from grace as it went against the 'rationalistic message' of the DMK that he propagated in film after film. Also, simultaneously the glorification of MGR had begun. He was now the new propaganda avatar of the DMK. Sivaji moved to E.V.K. Sampath's Tamil Nationalist Party and then the Congress and later it's opposition, the Janata Dal.
As an actor however, he continued to shine. Moving away from the DMK's atheistic politics, he acted in several mythologicals - Sampoorna Ramayan (1958) and Thiruvillaiyadal (1965), nationalist historicals - Veerapandya Kattoboman (1960), his most famous film, and biographicals - Kappalotiya Thamizhan (1961). Veerapandiya Kattaboman won Sivaji the Best Actor Award at the Afro-Asian Festival in Cairo. Twentieth Century Fox bought over the telecasting rights of one of his best known films - Thillana Mohanambal (1968) and The Washington Post hailed him as India's Clark Gable!
Sivaji was acknowledged as a consummate actor, vastly imitated but never equalled. His eyes had fire and he was cheered for his resounding voice, which the audience called 'simmakural' or a lion's roar. At the same time however, there has been constant criticism that he 'overacts.' But Sivaji always retorted...

What is acting? It means doing something that is not natural. So then where is the question of overacting? When your mother dies, what do you do? You shout Amma and cry, don't you? Your instant reaction is to cry out loud. Not sit quietly covering your eyes with your hands. That's exactly what I do in my films.

Since the mid 1970s however, Muthal Mariyathai (1985) is the one major film of Sivaji's that stands out. Not only was the film a commercial success but it also brought Sivaji critical acclaim as well. But by now the attention had shifted to younger heroes like Rajnikant and Kamal Hassan. Among his more recent films, he did give a strong performance as the latter's father in Thevar Magan (1992) getting a Special Jury Mention for the same.
Sivaji was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1982 - 88. It is maintained that Sivaji had a more significant iconic presence among the Tamil middle-class leading to his 1980s - 90s deification, than MGR could ever acquire. He has won several awards including the Padma Shri in 1966, the Padma Bhushan in 1984 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his contribution to Indian Cinema in 1997.
His son Prabhu went on to become a major Tamil filmstar in the 1980s and 1990s although Sivaji wanted him to join the Police Force.
Mostly retired and plagued by ill-health through the last few years, Sivaji took each day as it came. To quote him...

I don't worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow's problems are for another day.

Sivaji passed away in a hospital in Chennai on July 21, 2001 following a prolonged heart ailment.



Source: Google Search

Talking about screen-shots here is mine.

I have posted so many stuffs about school, football and everything else. But what about me. In my profile I had asked you people to fill in the balnk about me. So why don't you. What do you people think about me?????? Fill in as comments, please.

If you had to visit one among the following which one would it be?? Answers can be submitted as comments with a valid reason.

1. Colloseum, Rome
   
2. Taj Mahal, India
   
3. Great Wall of China
   
4. Statue of Liberty
   
5. Pyramids, Egypt
   
6. Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy
   
7. Eiffel Tower, Paris
   

Recently I read a report in Fifa.com about the Golden Goal and I wanted to share with you football fans. Here is the report.

It is official: the golden goal is dead. At its 118th Annual General Meeting, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) decided to amend Law 10 of the Laws of the Game and to return to the previous rules on how to decide the winner of a match. FIFA.com takes a look back at the brief existence of the “sudden death” rule, which smiled on Bierhoff, Blanc, Zidane, Trezeguet, Camara, Ahn Jung Hwan, Mansiz and Henry amongst others.

The golden goal rule was in place for ten years, having first been deployed by FIFA at the World Youth Championship Australia 1993 as a new means of establishing the winner of a game. According to this groundbreaking initiative, when the score in a match remained level after 90 minutes, extra time consisting of two fifteen-minute periods was to be played, but terminated as soon as a goal was scored. The idea was to avoid the lottery of a penalty shootout where possible, but it did not prove an unmitigated success in this respect. Now, with the return to the old rule, extra time will continue for the full 30 minutes, even if someone scores during this period.

Over its ten-year lifespan, a number of games in top international competitions have been decided by a “golden goal”, including some that have entered into the annals of footballing legend. Whether one is for or against this rule, there is no denying it has provided some moments of unalloyed emotion. By way of a tribute to the now defunct law, we review the most memorable golden goals that have signalled sudden death for the teams on the receiving end.

UEFA European Championship, England 1996 – Final - Germany – Czech Republic – 30 June 1996 - 95th minute, Oliver Bierhoff.
The original “Golden Boy”, as he was later christened, Germany’s Oliver Bierhoff was the first player to net a golden goal in an official senior-level competition, and in dramatic circumstances too. In the final of Europe’s premier event, the Germans found their route to glory barred by the gifted Czech side containing Karel Poborsky and Vladimir Smicer. Revelling in his role as German “super sub”, Bierhoff promptly cancelled out Patrick Berger’s earlier strike. Then, five minutes into extra time, the Udinese forward sent a hopeful shot on the turn goalwards. The ball took a slight deflection off Tomas Rada, deceiving the Czech keeper, Petr Kouba, who watched in horror as it rolled in off the post. The Czechs were devastated, while the Germans seemed slow to comprehend that they had won their third European title.

FIFA World Cup, France 1998 – Second Round, France – Paraguay – 28 June 1998 – 113th minute, Laurent Blanc.
In the second round of “their” World Cup, France came up against a canny Paraguay side. Many expected an easy game for Les Bleus, but the French supporters who packed Lens’ Stade Bollaert to the rafters saw their side’s attacking endeavours frustrated for 112 long minutes. Until, that is, a Robert Pires cross in extra time was headed on by David Trezeguet. Laurent Blanc, icon of the French defence, timed his run into the penalty box perfectly to kill off the South Americans with a half volley off his shin. In doing so, the man dubbed “The President” became the first-ever scorer of a golden goal at a FIFA World Cup, while the poleaxed Paraguayan players were heaved to their feet one-by-one by their larger-than-life keeper José-Luis Chilavert.

UEFA European Championship, Holland/Belgium 2000 - Semi-Final – France – Portugal -29 June 2000 – 117th minute, Zinedine Zidane.
this must be the most hotly contested golden goal of the decade. Nuno Gomes opened the scoring, only for Thierry Henry to eventually haul his side level. The end of the match was fraught with drama, but extra time was inevitable. When it came, both teams defied their tired limbs to give it everything they had. On the counter, Sylvain Wiltord burst into the right-hand edge of the penalty box and fired in a cross-shot. As he fell, Portuguese defender Xavier managed to cut out the ball… with his hand! The referee Gunter Benko blew for a penalty, much to the displeasure of the irate Iberians, but Zinedine Zidane held his nerve to send his team into the final from the penalty spot.

UEFA European Championship, Holland/Belgium 2000 - Final – France – Italy -2 July 2000 – 103rd minute, David Trezeguet.
The French seem to have an affinity for the golden goal. After falling behind early on to a Marco Del Vecchio strike, Roger Lemerre’s protégés looked incapable of finding a way back. But in added time, Wiltord’s low drive evaded the despairing clutches of Francesco Toldo. The French bench erupted with joy, while their Italian counterparts, who moments earlier had been preparing to invade the pitch, were crestfallen. Extra-time was to prove an unbearable ordeal for the Squadra Azzurra. On as a substitute, Robert Pires surged to the by-line and cut the ball back temptingly for Trezeguet lurking in the heart of the penalty box. The Juventus forward unleashed a eviscerating half-volley that soared past the stranded Toldo. France were champions of Europe, while the Italian players drenched the Rotterdam turf with their tears of desolation.

FIFA World Cup, Korea/Japan 2002 – Second Round, Sweden – Senegal -16 June 2002 – 104th minute, Henri Camara.
The Senegalese had already emerged as the revelation of the Asian event, and the eyes of the world were trained on El Hadji Diouf and Khalilou Fadiga. But then a third Senef attacker stole the limelight. Henri Camara burst into the public consciousness in the second round against Sweden. After notching a first-half equaliser, he went on to rescue his side with his extra-time exploits. Pape Thiaw’s clever backheel sent Camera free through the centre, whereupon the Sedan star shook off his marker and let fly from 18 yards. His shot went in off the post and the Africans were through to the quarter-finals.

FIFA World Cup, Korea/Japan 2002 – Second Round, Korea Republic – Italy -18 June 2002 – 117th minute, Ahn Jung Hwan.
The craziest match of the Asian World Cup just had to be capped by a golden goal. Hot favourites Italy opened the scoring early on through goal machine Christian Vieri, while the Koreans squandered a penalty in the opening minutes. Just like two years earlier in the European Championship, the Azzurri seemed assured of victory until the final seconds, but up stepped Seol Ki Hyeon to level the tie with two minutes remaining. Just a few minutes later, the stadium was to be gripped by hysteria, as the Italians, reduced to 10 men, buckled under intense pressure and Ahn Jung Hwan met a free kick with a real peach of a header. Gianluigi Buffon was left rueing what might have been, Ahn became a demigod, and Korea was swept away on a tide of national euphoria.

FIFA World Cup, Korea/Japan 2002 – Quarter-final, Turkey – Senegal -22 June 2002 – 94th minute, Ilhan Mansiz.
The two big surprises of the world’s premier event came head to head in Osaka. The Turks had the better of things, but failed to turn their advantage into goals. And so extra time was required, as was a cameo from the replacement for out-of-sorts star striker Hakan Sukur. With just four minutes of extra time elapsed, Ilhan Mansiz cleverly hooked Umit Davala’s cross past the nonplussed Tony Sylva to deliver the death blow to the Africans. The Turks went wild with joy, having reached the semi-final of the ultimate event for the first time in their history. The Senegalese were beside themselves, but their subsequent heroes’ return to their country came as some consolation.

FIFA Confederations Cup, France 2003 – Final - France – Cameroon - 29 June 2003 – 97th minute, Thierry Henry.
The background to the 2003 Confederations Cup could scarcely have been more dramatic. Fittingly, it was the tournament’s best player and eventual top scorer, Thierry Henry, who enabled France to retain their intercontinental crown against Cameroon. Lilian Thuram delivered a cross towards the near post, which the Gunner met with his knee to bamboozle Idriss Kameni. This golden goal was a little bit special, as befits the last to be scored in an official senior competition, almost 10 years to the day from its adoption by the football community.