P. S. Veerappa

P. S. Veerappa
Born
Pollachi S. Veerappa

(1911-09-10)10 September 1911
Kangeyam, Coimbatore District, Madras Presidency, British Raj (now Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu, India)
Died11 September 1998(1998-09-11) (aged 87)
Chennai, India
Occupation(s)Actor, Producer
Years active1939-1998
SpouseVeera Lakshmi
Children2
AwardsKalaimamani Award, Rajiv Gandhi Award

P. S. Veerappa (10 September 1911 – 11 September 1998) was an Indian actor and a producer of Tamil cinema.[1][2]

Early life

Born in 1911, Veerappa belonged to Kangeyam, then part of Coimbatore District in Madras Presidency. But he grew up in his grandfather’s house in Pollachi right from an early age. He was interested in studies but there were no income sources due to large members in family. He tried many small trading business which never gave him good returns. Before moving to Madras he used to act in plays which was conducted in temple festival in nearby temple town Sivanmalai where he saw K. B. Sundarambal and her brother. They insisted him to join cinema and told him to come to Madras. So he moved to Madras with the aim of joining cinema; he expressed his desire to her and Sundarambal sent him to Ellis R. Dungan with a recommendation letter.[3]

Career

Duncan was directing the film Manimekalai at that time in which Sundarambal had an important role. And, Veerappa was introduced to cinema through that film in 1939. His next films were Udayanan Vasavadatta, in which G. N. Balasubramaniam and Vasundhara Devi were the lead pair and Jupiter Pictures’ Sri Murugan with C. Honnappa Bhagavathar as the hero. M. G. Ramachandran was also in the cast and Veerappa and became friends with him after this film. Their duo acted in many films together as hero and villain. Veerappa’s popular laughter "ha ..ha ..haa .." was first tried in the film Chakravarthi Thirumagal in which MGR was the hero. As it had tremendous response, it was continued by Veerappa in all his subsequent films and it became his trademark. In the film Vanjikottai Valiban, there is a dance sequence in which Vyjayanthimala and Padmini are both dancing, challenging each other in the song Kannum Kannum Kalanthu. In this scene, Veerappa shouts, "Sabhaash … sariyana potti …", welcoming the challenge. And, in another film Mahadhevi, Veerappa, the villain, would chase the heroine K. Savithri with so much lust. In the scene in which he realizes that he could never get Savithri, he would say, "Manadhaal Mahadevi, illaiyel maranadevi …". This dialogue gets consistent claps from the audience even today.[citation needed] He was associated with six Chief Ministers (C. N. Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi, M. G. Ramachandran, N. T. Rama Rao, V. N. Janaki & J. Jayalalitha) as an actor and producer.[3]

Sivaji Ganesan was a great admirer and fan of Veerappa’s acting and his ‘famous’ laughter. Sivaji had openly expressed this admiration on many occasions. Veerappa had acted as the villain with four generation heroes, starting from MGR and Sivaji to heroes like Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth and Vijayakanth. A molded villain in movies, Veerappa was a great human being in real life. He became a producer also and produced many films. Veerappa, died in September 1998. He had a daughter and a son. His son P. S. V. Hariharan is a film producer.

Filmography

As actor

Year Movie Name Role Co-Stars
1939 Mani Mekalai
1946 Sri Murugan
1948 Raja Mukthi M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar
Madhanamala
1950 Marudhanaattu Ilavarasi M. G. Ramachandran
Ithaya Geetham Prathaban T. R. Mahalingam
1952 Mappilllai
1953 Naam M. G. Ramachandran V. N. Janaki M. N. Nambiar
Madhana Mohini
Genova M. G. Ramachandran
1954 Sorgavasal
Sugam Engey Nagappan K. R. Ramasamy Savitri T. K. Ramachandran, K. A. Thangavelu
Ammaiyappan
1955 Kaveri
Mullaivanam S. A. Natarajan
Ulagam Pala Vidham
Pennarasi
1956 Marma Veeran
Aasai Veeran Gemini Ganesan, Padmini, D. Balasubramaniam, Rajasulochana, N. S. Krishnan
Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum Abhu Usian M. G. Ramachandran P. Bhanumathi K. Sarangapani
1957 Mahadevi General KarunaKaran M. G. Ramachandran Savitri
Magathala Nattu Mary Sriram, Kumari Thangam, E. R. Sahadevan
Chakravarthi Thirumagal General Bhairavan M. G. Ramachandran Anjali Devi S. Varalakshmi
Rani Lalithangi
Thangamalai Ragasiyam Mahendran Sivaji Ganesan Jamuna T. R. Rajakumari M. N. Nambiar
Raja Rajan General Nagavelan M. G. Ramachandran Padmini Lalitha M. N. Nambiar
Yaar Paiyan
Neelamalai Thirudan Zamindar Nagappan R. Ranjan, Anjali Devi M. K. Radha
Pathini Deivam Gemini Ganesan, Savitri
1958 Vanjikottai Valiban Senapathy Gemini Ganesan Vyjayanthimala Padmini
Nadodi Mannan Raja Guru M. G. Ramachandran P. Bhanumathi B. Saroja Devi
Boologa Rambai General Veera Kesari Gemini Ganesan Anjali Devi
Neelavukku Neranja Manasu T. R. Ramachandran
Petra Maganai Vitra Annai S. S. Rajendran C. R. Vijayakumari
Panai Pidithaval Bhagyasali Savitri K. Balaji
Pillai Kaniyamudhu
1959 Sivagangai Seemai S. S. Rajendran Kumari Kamala
Thalai Koduthan Thambi
1960 Mannadhi Mannan M. G. Ramachandran Padmini Anjali Devi
Kaithi Kannayiram Prisoner Jagatheeran (or) Prisoner No:420 R. S. Manohar Javert Seetharaman Rajasulochana K. A. Thangavelu
Veerakkanal The King Gemini Ganesan Anjali Devi M. N. Nambiar M. N. Rajam
Parthiban Kanavu Kabaligan Gemini Ganesan Vyjayanthimala
Yanai Paagan Udaykumar
1961 Marutha Nattu Veeran Sivaji Ganesan Jamuna
1962 Aalayamani Pakkiri Sivaji Ganesan B. Saroja Devi M. R. Radha T. R. Ramachandran
Vikramaadhithan M. G. Ramachandran Padmini
1963 Anandha Jodhi Jambu M. G. Ramachandran Devika Kamal Haasan
Veera Dhalapathi Veluthambi
Raj Mahal
Kalai Arasi Kannan M. G. Ramachandran P. Bhanumathi Rajasree
1964 Andavan Kattalai Prosicutor (Cameo Appearance) Sivaji Ganesan Devika K. Balaji J. P. Chandrababu
1966 Yaar Nee? CID Officer (Cameo Appearance) Jaishankar Jayalalitha
1967 Arasa Kattalai the King of the kingdom of Kumari M. G. Ramachandran B. Saroja Devi Jayalalitha R. S. Manohar M. N. Nambiar S. A. Ashokan
1969 Ponnu Mappillai Dharma prakash Jaishankar
1971 Iru Thuruvam Landlord Sivaji Ganesan Padmini R. Muthuraman Pandari Bai
1975 Pallandu Vazhga David/No:250 M. G. Ramachandran Latha M. N. Nambiar R. S. Manohar
1977 Meenava Nanban Selvaraj, Arun' father M. G. Ramachandran
Navarathinam Manarai M. G. Ramachandran
1978 Maduraiyai Meeta Sundarapandiyan The Minister Thaigum Valavarai M. G. Ramachandran
1979 Thisai Maariya Paravaigal Sarath Babu Sumalatha
Allavuthinum Arputha Vilakkum Kamal Hasan Rajinikanth Sripriya
1984 Vetri Vijayakanth Viji, M. N. Nambiar
1986 Karimedu Karuvayan D.I.G Vijayakanth
1988 Kaliyugam Prabhu Raghuvaran Amala
1990 Neengalum Herothan As himself Nizhalgal Ravi

As producer

Yeat Film Directors Notes
1958 Pillai Kaniyamudhu M. A. Thirumugam
1960 Veerakkanal G. K .Ramu
1962 Aalayamani K. Shankar
1963 Anandha Jodhi V. N. Reddy
1964 Andavan Kattalai K. Shankar
1966 Yaar Nee Sathyam
1968 Aadmi A Bhimsingh Hindi
1969 Ponnu Maapillai S. Ramanathan
1971 Iru Thuruvam S. Ramanathan
1979 Thisai Maariya Paravaigal S. Jagadeesan
1980 Megathukkum Dhagam Undu S. Jagadeesan
1982 Pattanathu Rajakkal S. A. Chandrasekhar
1984 Vetri S. A. Chandrasekhar
1984 Kadamai Rama Narayanan
1984 Sabaash Rama Narayanan
1984 Vesham Rama Narayanan
1985 Mannukketha Ponnu Ramarajan
1986 Odangal Ameerjan
1986 Marakka Matten Ramarajan
1987 Thulasi Ameerjan
1991 Vanakkam Vaathiyaare Ameerjan

References

  1. ^ Guy, Randor (2 August 2014). "The superstar villain". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 30 January 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  2. ^ Ramanujam, D. S. (18 September 1998). "Left an indelible mark on Tamil screen". The Hindu. p. 27. Archived from the original on 18 August 2001. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b Majordasan. "Potpourri of titbits about cinema - P. S. Veerappa". Kalyanamalai. Archived from the original on 5 June 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2012.