Artists of Stage Creations, including Delhi Ganesh, at a rehearsal of the play ‘Dowry Kalyana Vaibogamey’ in Chennai in October 2016. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Delhi Ganesh had a malleability that suffused every role he portrayed in the movies. The thespian (80), who passed away late on Saturday (November 9, 2024) night, was the quintessential character artiste, offering warmth and trust, laughter, and the odd tear, and was a vital cog in the Tamil film industry.
Having been a part of a drama troupe in Delhi besides a stint in the Indian Air Force, Ganesh preferred the stage and celluloid. K. Balachander, the great director who groomed both Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, added the moniker Delhi to Ganesh; the name stuck, and a great actor had found his moorings in the same stable that nursed the versatile Nagesh.
Also Read: The Delhi connect for Ganesh
Ganesh was an apt foil to Kamal Haasan in iconic films like Nayagan, Michael Madana Kama Rajan, and Thenali. To offer the right counter to Kamal is never easy, but Ganesh always had the suitable words, the ideal expression, and the perfect pitch. He could be a tired cop, a world-weary grandfather, a broker sensing a deal, and in all this, he would meld himself completely to the role.
Also Read: Delhi Ganesh on staying with the times
When he said “Nayakkare” to Kamal in Nayagan, we felt his reverence towards the Dharavi don, and also humanised Velu Nayakar. Ganesh’s half-concealed tear would make your lacrymal glands work overtime. If there was a Nedumudi Venu in Malayalam, Kollywood had its Delhi Ganesh, the everyday man, who could be anyone when the director hollered action!
With more than 400 films under his kitty, Ganesh’s presence in Tamil films was an enduring tapestry till age caught up with him. In recent years, he would do the odd speech; this was TedX talk infused with self-deprecatory humour and some philosophy. He could mimic well, was adept with different Tamil dialects, and there was always a twinkle in his eye when he recalled the good old days.
Delhi Ganesh (1944-2024): The very best of the veteran Tamil actor’s filmography in pictures
Pattina Pravesam (1977): Delhi Ganesh, along with Sivachandran and Sarath Babu, made his acting debut in this K. Balachander directorial. It was the legendary director himself who gave Ganesh the moniker “Delhi” to distinguish him from other actors with the same name, such as Sivaji, Gemini, and Jai.
Pasi (1979): The National Award-winning film ‘Pasi’ featured Delhi Ganesh as a cycle-rickshaw puller who, despite being the breadwinner of a struggling family, is also a drunkard—one of several burdens his daughter has to cope with.
Engamma Maharani (1981): Before becoming one of Tamil cinema’s most notable supporting actors, Delhi Ganesh played the lead role in ‘Engamma Maharani’, portraying a happy family man whose life unravels when he enters into an affair
Sindhu Bhairavi (1985): In yet another K. Balachander film, Delhi Ganesh played Gurumoorthy, a gifted mridangam player in the band of JKB (Sivakumar). He is dismissed for his drinking habits, only for his mentor to later succumb to the very same vice.
Chidambara Rahasiyam (1985): In actor-director Visu’s comedy thriller, Delhi Ganesh initially appears as a refined gentleman helping his son and friends solve a crime. However, spoiler alert: he is later revealed to be the underworld gangster causing the chaos.
Nayakan (1987): A cult classic of Tamil cinema, ‘Nayakan’ marked the first collaboration between Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam. Delhi Ganesh played Iyer, the loyal sidekick who supports Velu Naicker as he rises from a smuggler to an underworld don. Ganesh reprised this role in the 2022 film ‘Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu’.
Apoorva Sagodharargal (1989): Kamal Haasan’s collaborations with Ganesh, especially in comedy, deserve a list of their own. Perhaps the most iconic is ‘Apoorva Sagodharargal’, where Ganesh played Francis Anbarasu, one of the villains responsible for the death of a righteous cop — only to be avenged by the cop’s dwarf son using a Rube Goldberg machine. The scene was later parodied in ‘Thamizh Padam’ (2010), with Ganesh reprising his role.
Michael Madana Kama Rajan (1990): In this Kamal Haasan classic, MMKR, Ganesh played Palakkad Mani Iyer, a cook who adopts one of four quadruplets. The humorous interactions between Mani Iyer and his son Kameshwaran provide some of the film’s best scenes. Kamal planned a spinoff for this character titled ‘Londonil Kameshwaran’, but ultimately produced ‘Nala Damayanthi’ (2003) instead.
Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga (2013): This comedy-drama with an unexpected emotional core starred Ganesh as the retired father of a wayward son, who keeps a record of all the expenses he’s incurred for him since birth. His role as a comical father spawned a slew of memes, and his iconic scenes from ‘Ayan’ (“Paiyan pudichitan”) and ‘Aethiree’ (“Joke’u joke’u” with Vivek) have become part of Tamil meme culture.
Irumbu Thirai (2018): Delhi Ganesh was no stranger to father roles in his decades-long career but arguably the best one was at the fag end of his career in the Vishal-starrer ‘Irumbu Thirai’. As the happy-go-lucky Rangarajan who has been anything but an ideal father for his son, Ganesh aced the role of an incompetent father for whom his family mattered more than his pride and honour.
1/3
This was a grounded man, inextricably a part of celluloid, but one who refused the glitz of stardust. He was the quintessential neighbourhood uncle to whom you could confess your fears. With his departure, the Tamil film industry has lost a giant.
Published – November 10, 2024 10:39 am IST
