The legendary Nadigaiyar Thilagam, actor Sivaji Ganesan, has starred in several films set in India’s post-independence era that explore the struggles of a changing society. Similar to Raj Kapoor’s Awaara (1951), Sivaji’s debut film, Parasakthi (1952), depicts the economic hardships and struggles of the working class who migrate to India’s big cities. Even some of Satyajit Ray’s films, such as The Apu Trilogy, discuss similar themes.
Back in 1967, when Sivaji arrived in Los Angeles for a 2-month tour, in one of his visits to Universal Studios, he bumped into the renowned Hollywood actor, Marlon Brando. Upon introduction, Brando winked and said, “Oh, I have heard of Mr See-va-gee. Aren’t you called the Marlon Brando of Indian cinema?” Interestingly, poverty in India was the main topic of discussion Sivaji Ganesan had with Marlon Brando when he visited Hollywood as part of a 1960s tour organised by the Screen Actors Guild and the American Embassy. Sivaji’s son Ramkumar Ganesan made the revelation in a recent interview.
During the conversation, Ramkumar further revealed that Brando spoke about the level of poverty he observed in India after watching some of Satyajit Ray’s films. In response, Sivaji explained that Ray’s films tried to raise awareness about poverty in his own country rather than to market it to the West, and he emphasised that not everybody in India was poor by pointing to his suit.
“My father told him, ‘Mr Brando, you saw the suit I am wearing? It is a $500 suit. Not everyone in India is poor. Some people can afford suits such as these, just as there are poor people in India.'”
In a related turn of events, Ramkumar also said that he did not know that Sivaji and Ray met each other in a film festival until 20 years ago. He also suggested that Sivaji Ganesan’s perspective about poverty might have influenced Brando’s worldview, leading him to protest at the Academy Awards by having a Native American activist, Sacheen Littlefeather, refuse the Best Actor Oscar for The Godfather on his behalf in 1973.
Source: Cinema Express
