Amma aka J Jayalalithaa is a successful yet controversial figure in South India. For some, she was Amma or equivalent to the mother, but for some she was evil. She first appeared in public life by making her film debut as a child artist in the 1960s.
But contrary to everybody’s expectations she later emerged as one of the biggest superstars in the Telugu industry. Her main hero in more than 20 films was M. G. Ramachandran, also known as MGR. The duo delivered 28 films together which were box-office blockbusters.
The newspapers and magazines at that time featured news of their alleged affair. As per insiders of Jayalalithaa, the actress was adamant to marry MGR but he was a married man and always refused from marrying her.
In an earlier interview, Jayalalithaa recalled one of the days when she had to walk barefoot for a film scene. But due to extreme conditions, she just couldn’t walk a step on the sand. Her suffering came in notice of MGR and immediately ordered the crew to pack up.
She said, “I couldn’t put a step forward and I was on the verge of collapse. I never said a word, but MGR must have sensed my agony. He suddenly came from behind and swept me up in his arms. He is a hero off-screen too,”
Later she quit her career in films in the 80s and joined the political party, AIADMK. She went on to become Tamil Nadu’s youngest Chief Minister in 1991. Revisit the drama of the Queen of Tamil Cinema in her biopic ‘Thalaivi’ which will hit the screens tomorrow.
