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S. S. Rajendran
S. S. Rajendran
Born	Sedapatti Suryanarayana Rajendran; January 1928, Usilampatti, Madras Presidency, British India
Died	24 October 2014 (aged 86), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Occupation(s)	Actor, Film director, Film producer, Politician

Sedapatti Suryanarayana Rajendran, also known by his initials SSR (January 1928 – 24 October 2014), was an Indian actor, film director, film producer and politician who worked in Tamil theatre and cinema.

Film career

Sri Aandal was to have been the debut film for S. S. Rajendran as an actor. He received an offer to act in a negative role, and an advance as well. However, T. R. Sundaram, who oversaw the production, overruled Rajendran's selection because he "appeared like a boy with curly hair and was unsuitable for the villain role."^[1] S. S. Rajendran was cast in the title role, but was relieved after only two weeks of shooting from the film as T. K. Muthusamy of the TKS Brothers drama troupe revealed that Rajendran was still under contract with them, and threatened legal action if the film continued production. Thus the role went to newcomer S. M. Kumaresan.^[1] Rajendran made his acting debut with the 1952 film Parasakthi,^[2] directed by the directing duo Krishnan–Panju, with the character Gnanasekharan.^{[citation needed]} He followed with Mudhalali, President Panchatcharam,^[3] Pillai Kani Amudhu, Thalai Koduthan Thambi, Thedi Vandha Selvam, C. N. Annadurai's Edhayum Thangum Idhayam, M. Karunanidhi's Avan Pithana, Poompuhar and Modern Theatres Kumudham. SSR acted with M. G. Ramachandran in Raja Desingu as Mohamed Khan and in Kaanji Thalaivan as Paranjothi. He had worked in many films with Sivaji Ganesan such as Manohara, Rangoon Radha, Raja Rani, Deivapiravi, Aalayamani, Pachai Vilakku, Pazhani, Kungumam, Santhi and Kai Kodutha Dheivam.

Other notable films were Sorgavasal, Ammaiyappan, Ratha Kanneer, Kula Dheivam, Thai Pirandhal Vazhi Pirakkum, Kalyanikku Kalyanam, Sivagangai Seemai, also in AVM's Kaakum Karangal, Poomalai and K. Balachander's Ethiroli.

His drama company SSR Nadaka Mandram staged plays including^[4]Or Iravu (C. N. Annadurai), Manimagudam (M. Karunanidhi) and Thenpaandi Veeran (P. Nedumaran). He introduced and gave opportunities to actress Manorama.^[5]

Director K. S. Gopalakrishnan was introduced from his film Saradha (a silver jubilee hit) and Saradha Studios was established to commemorate the success of this film by its producer A. L. Srinivasan. Likewise, SSRs film Thai Pirandhal Vazhi Pirakkum, in which his co-star was Raja Sulochana,^[6] was a successful film in 1958.

Personal life

He had 8 children named Elangovan, Rajendrakumar, Kalaivanan, Bhagyalakshmi, Selvaraj, Ravikumar, Kannan & Lakshmi Sitara from his 3 wives including Actress C. R. Vijayakumari.

Political life

He joined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party and became the first actor to become an elected member of a legislative assembly in India when he was elected to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly as a DMK candidate for the Theni Constituency in the 1962 Madras State legislative assembly election.^[7] Subsequently, he was elected as a member (MP) of the Rajya Sabha.^{[citation needed]} He joined the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and was elected from Andipatti constituency in the 1980 assembly election. He shared good friendship with M.G.R and M. Karunanidhi.^[8]

Personal interests

Rajendran, being a strict follower of Periyar's policy of rationalism, never acted in films based on Ithihasas and Puranas. He earned the sobriquet "Latchiya Nadigar" (Idealistic Actor) as he never acted in films against his policy.^[9]^[10]^[11]

Death

Rajendran was admitted into Chennai Meenakshi hospital on 20 October 2014 to treat a lung infection. He died on 24 October 2014.^[2]^[12]

Filmography

Actor

Year	Film	Role	Notes	Ref.
1952	Parasakthi	Gnanasekaran		^[13]
1952	Panam	Sundaram
1954	Manohara	Rajapriyan
	Sorgavasal	Muthu Manikam
	Ammaiyappan	Muthan
	Ratha Kanneer	Balu
1956	Raja Rani
	Kuladeivam	Rajaiya
	Rangoon Radha	Nagasundaram
1957	Mudhalali	Vasanthan/Varathan
1958	Thai Pirandhal Vazhi Pirakkum	Rangan
	Anbu Engey	Somu
	Petra Maganai Vitra Annai	Prince Villalan/Neelan
	Pillai Kaniyamudhu
	Thirudargal Jakkirathai
	Thedi Vandha Selvam
1959	Mamiyar Mechina Marumagal
	Koodi Vazhnthal Kodi Nanmai
	Sollu Thambi Sollu
	Kalyanikku Kalyanam	Sadhasivam
	Sivagangai Seemai	Muthalagu Servai
	Pudhumai Penn
	President Panchatcharam
	Naatukoru Nallaval
	Alli Petra Pillai
	Thalai Koduthaan Thambi	Indrajith
	Odi Vilaiyaadu Paapa
1960	Deivapiravi	Ramu
	Sangilithevan	Sangilithevan
	Raja Desingu	General Mohammed Khan
	Petra Manam
	Thangarathinam		25th Film
1961	Manapanthal	Dr. Gunasekaran
	Mamiyarum Oru Veetu Marumagale
	Kumudham	Kumaran
	Panam Panthiyile
1962	Sarada	Sambandham
	Ethaiyum Thangum Ithaiyam
	Senthamarai
	Muthu Mandapam
	Aalayamani	Sekar
	Deivathin Deivam	Babu
1963	Vanambadi	Sekhar
	Neengadha Ninaivu
	Kattu Roja	Baskaran
	Aasai Alaigal	Durai Raj
	Naanum Oru Penn	Bhaskar
	Kunkhumam	Superintendent Raja
	Kaanchi Thalaivan	Commander Paranjothi
	Kaithiyin Kathali
1964	Pachchai Vilakku
	Alli
	Kai Kodutha Deivam	Ravi
	Vazhi Piranthadu		50th Film
	Poompuhar	Kovalan
	Ullasa Payanam	Selvam
1965	Pazhani	Raju
	Santhi	Ramu
	Paditha Manaivi
	Kakkum Karangal	Dr. Shankar
	Vazhikatti
	Poomalai	Sundaram
	Maganey Kel
	Anandhi	Somu
1966	Avan Pithana?
	Thedi Vandha Thirumagal
	Marakka Mudiyuma?	Manikam / Krishnan
	Thaaye Unakkaga
	Mani Magudam	King Mani Maaran/Puthumai Pithan
1969	Kula Vilakku		Guest Appearance
1970	Ethiroli
	வைராக்கியம்
1982	Erattai Manithan		75th Film
1985	Anbin Mugavari
1996	Rajali	Shekhar
1998	Dharma	Chief Minister
2001	Rishi	Chief Minister
2003	Dum	DGP
2008	Theekuchi	Raja

References

^ ^a ^b Sri Kantha, Sachi (3 January 2015). "Autobiography of Actor-politician S.S. Rajendran". Ilankai Tamil Sangam. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Veteran Tamil actor SS Rajendran dead". The Times of India. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
^ President Panchatcharam was a success at the box office.1959 THE HINDU 2/oct/2011
^ P.R.Vasantha kumars'ilatchia selvam SSR 1987 'sironmani publications'
^ Manorama in her lifetime award function said (jan 15 2008): "Those were days when even a fleeting presence on the screen was considered a huge achievement. It was Kannadasan Sir who offered the role. But actually I owe all this to S. S. Rajendran. It was he who invited me to Madras to act in the Kalaignar's (M. Karunanidhi) play Manimagudam. That play was a resounding success and I was recognised as an actress. Later, I faced the camera for the first time in an unfinished film that had Rajendran and Devika in the lead roles. Then came Maalayitta Mangai." recounts the actor.
^ Rajasulochana's most successful film, according to critics and moviegoers, was "Thai Pirandhaal Vazhi Pirakkum". It was remade in Telugu as "Manchi Manasuku Manchi Rojulu" with N. T. Rama Rao playing the lead. The film was directed by her husband, noted writer-director C. S. Rao. (4/sep/2011)memories linger Raja Sulochana, THE HINDU
^ "GENERAL ELECTION, 1962 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MADRAS" (PDF). Election Commission of India. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
^ "S S Rajendran: A Periyar follower, first Tamil actor to turn to politics". New Indian Express. 25 October 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
^ "'Latchiya Nadigar' SSR No More". Archived from the original on 25 October 2014.
^ "Autobiography of Actor-politician S.S. Rajendran – Ilankai Tamil Sangam".
^ "Kalyanamalai Magazine - Serial story, Thiraichuvai - Potpourri of titbits about Tamil cinema, S. S. Rajendran".
^ "பழம்பெரும் நடிகர் எஸ்.எஸ். ராஜேந்திரன் காலமானார்". Tamil Language. Daily Thanthi. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
^ Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1998) [1994]. Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema (PDF). Oxford University Press. p. 327. ISBN 019-563579-5.