MGR Remembered – Part 76

On M.K. Muthu; from a Fan to promoted Cinema Rival and Fall

by Sachi Sri Kantha, May 14, 2024

Comments received from fellow MGR biographer R. Kannan on Mar 26th about the contents in Part 75 of this series, were as follows:

“The Economic and Political Weekly articles [cited] appropriately show the pressures on MGR to cooperate with the Centre. MGR sought and saw the Centre’s force against Karunanidhi and the Emergency. He had also experienced the Centre’s IT and excise wings. He, therefore, took a non-confrontationist approach with the Centre. Cho Ramaswamy records that the Janata was not for the DMK alliance in the first place, but since the DMK had opposed the Emergency, they had come together. The fissures were evident when Karunanidhi stayed away from the Marina meeting that Morarji addressed. Ironically, it is here that Morarji alluded that the corruption charges were ignored or withdrawn in other cases since they were Congress supporters.  After the Janata-DMK alliance fared poorly in the parliamentary polls, Janata party men in the state felt that the DMK’s tainted image was the reason for the defeat, and the alliance was discontinued for the assembly elections, turning it into a four-cornered race.

Morarji liked MGR as both were teetotalers. MGR’s MPs were a later consideration. Morarji’s difficulties within the Janata Party had little to do with his Hindi predilection, which was listed as a reason. It was essentially because he had to contend with two politicians with their bases, unlike Morarji, who was agreeable as the senior most and was considered clean.”

Rarathinam Kannan

My response was as follows:

“Greetings. Thanks a lot for your thoughtful comments. I agree with your views completely,”

After completing 75 chapters, it is my onus at this juncture to express my heart-felt thanks to Rajarathinam Kannan (b. 1962) publicly, for continuing such a wonderful friendship and camaraderie beyond national borders, for more than a decade with friendly criticism. For readers of this series, I wish to introduce his career, as presented in his excellent biography book on MGR (2017). Kindly check the adjacent profile. Beginning from his biography book on MGR, Kannan had sent me gratis, more than a dozen print books in Tamil and English – on MGR (including two volumes of MGR autobiography), S.S. Rajendran, Kannadasan, Karunanidhi, M.R. Radha, T.M. Soundararajan, Vamanan’s 1,280 page long compendium on pioneering Tamil movie singers, composers and music directors. In addition, Kannan had also shared with me few digitally available biographies on other Tamil Nadu personalities. If not for such kind-hearted assistance from Kannan, I could not have progressed so far in completing this 75 chapters. Even for this chapter 76, I depended on the details available on actor-singer M.K. Muthu (Karunanidhi’s eldest son) available in Vamanan’s compendium, in addition to my own collections.

M.K. Muthu, eldest son of Karunanidhi

In DMK party, many carried the name of Muthu. Three notable ones whom MGR had to deal with were, Madurai Subbiah Muthu (1916-1984), Mrs Sathiavani Muthu (1923-1999) and Karunanidhi’s eldest son M. K. Muthu (b. 1948). Both S. Muthu and Sathiavani Muthu were vehement opponents of MGR, when he rebelled against party’s leadership in 1972. In his autobiography, Karunanidhi had included details of such criticism from both ‘Muthus’. Subsequently within few years, both these ‘Muthus’ (male and female, unrelated to each other, and both chronologically seniors to Karunanidhi) joined MGR’s party, expressing a feeling of neglect by Karunanidhi. After MGR in 1972, Satyavani Muthu was the next senior most leader to quit DMK in 1974. Along with Karunanidhi, she was one of the pioneering 15 MLAs, who got elected to the then Madras State Assembly in 1957 from the list of DMK candidates. At that time, DMK was an unrecognized political party.

But, M.K. Muthu’s story of being pushed into the tinsel world by father Karunanidhi at the age of 23 to compete against MGR was pathetic. Previously, in part 57, I had noted Muthu’s entry into the Tamil cinema. [https://sangam.org/mgr-remembered-part-57/] In this chapter, I expand on Muthu, for a reason that he deserves more than a foot-note in MGR’s seven decades of life. It’s unfortunate that previous MGR biographers, at best, could provide only a paragraph or two about him. The most cited MGR’s portrayal in English by M.S.S. Pandian, notably omitted Muthu. Even Muthu’s father had turned a blind eye on Muthu’s life, in his six autobiographical volumes, after a mention of his 1948 birth in volume 1. Muthu deserves a little more notice, for his impact on the MGR – Karunanidhi split of 1972. It may not be irrelevant to mark Karunanidhi’s birth centenary, which falls on June 3 this year, by re-visiting how Muthu was used against MGR by Karunanidhi.

Muthu (lt) and MGR (in dark glasses), with a clap-board showing the date 1971 Oct 21

Karunanidhi had married Padmavathi, the daughter of Chidambaram Sundaram and a sibling of illustrious singer Chidambaram Jayaraman (1917-1995), on Sept 13, 1944. Both Karunanidhi and Jayaraman were married on the same day. Muthu was born in Jan 1948, and lost his mother within a day or two for accelerated tuberculosis fever, when she was only 20. As Karunanidhi got remarried to Dayalu in 1948, Muthu was mostly cared by her paternal grandmother Anjugam, until her death in 1963. By that time, Muthu had reached 15.

A translation of what appears in Aranthai Narayanan’s history of Tamil cinema follows, with my interspersed additions:

“During 1971 [Tamil Nadu] State assembly elections, Muthu was performing a MGR impression act in DMK propaganda dramas. Then, his first movie ‘Pillaiyo Pillai’ (Son O’ Son) was scripted by his father Karunanidhi was released. He also acted, danced and fought like an MGR clone. Lyrics were written by MGR lyricist Vaali, promoting Muthu as

‘Moonru Tamil thonriyathum unnidamo?

Nee mooventhar vazhivantha mannavano?’

[Did the three forms of Tamil originate from You?

A descendant of Three Greats of Kings – are You?’]

[Note by Sachi: Even the movie title itself, appears to be a word play of MGR’s super-hit movie of 1965 – Enga Veetu Pillai (The Son of Our House). The Youtube link for this song, sung by T.M. Soundararajan and P. Sushila, follows:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaC4mtYp4FY]

The fight coordinator Shyam Sundar, a pro for MGR’s movies, was employed for stunt scenes.

On the opening day of this movie’s shooting, Ma Po Sivagnanam (1906-1995) praised him ‘As [in the Mahabharatha story] Ekalaivan learnt archery by treating Dhronar as his vicarious guru, Muthu had mentioned that he had MGR as his guru. Hope he gains fame and credit for his deeds.’ MGR was also present [check the photo nearby, dated Oct 21, 1971], and spoke offering advice on his own. ‘Thambi Muthu had told that he had treated me like his guru. I’m pleased to hear that. But, Muthu never came to me, for acting lessons, even for a day. Like archer Ekalaivan learnt the art of archery from his vicarious guru, I believe Muthu wish to act after watching my movies. Everyone has their own individuality. It’s traveling on that route will bring success. I wish him well that he establish his own individuality in acting for success.’ ”

Once his debut movie was released, all over the state, fan clubs under the name ‘Muthamizh Selvan Muthu’ sprouted. During the release of ‘Pillaiyo Pillai’ movie, Narayanan also recorded that a wall poster praising Muthu with alliterate lines in Tamil ‘Illaiyoru pillai yenru eeangi vantha thirai ulahil – Pillaiyo Pillai ena vantha Kalai Thayin Ilaya mahan’was put up. In English, this two line poetic stanza read as,

‘When the Screen world was yearning for a gifted son, Mother Art’s youngest son came along as ‘Son O’ Son’. Narayanan also continued,

“In many villages, MGR’s fan clubs were dissolved to form ‘Muthu Fan Clubs’. MGR-related news were shunted off from the pages of Dina Thanthi and Malai Murasu dailies, managed by S.B. Adithan, who was then a minister in the DMK Cabinet. It was talked that Karunanidhi had demanded movie producers by phone who have produced MGR movies, to make movies with Muthu”.

Robert Hardgrave, early chronicler of DMK party history, had recorded a few sentences on Muthu-inflicted anger on MGR fans in 1973, as follows: “MGR posters were defaced and torn, and theaters showing his films were attacked, as were MGR fan clubs. Perhaps fearing reprisal, the scheduled release of a film starring M.K. Muthu, Karunanidhi’s son, was postponed. Muthu, who had only begun to act in films, and had already incurred MGR’s wrath by an alleged attempt to convert MGR fan clubs into Muthu Associations. The aging act, no doubt, did not take this too kindly.” However, the chronology of events cited by Hardgrave that Muthu film release was postponed conflicts with the chronology of events provided in Karunanidhi’s autobiography, and is in error. As Karunanidhi was then the chief minister of Tamil Nadu and he had scripted the movie officially, Muthu’s ‘Pillaiyo Pillai’ debut movie was released as scheduled on June 23, 1972. What was postponed was the release of MGR’s own movie, ‘Ulagam Suttrum Vaaliban’.

A weapon for Anti-MGR campaign

As one would expect, this sort of back-stabbing by Karunanidhi irritated MGR. Karunanidhi’s biographer Panneerselvan meekly defends Karunanidhi’s move in pitting his son against MGR. He had written, “There are two contesting readings about Karunanidhi’s decision to launch the acting career of his son M.K. Muthu through a film titled ‘Pillaiyo Pillai’ (Oh, What a Son) in 1972. According to Murasoli Selvam, the decision was an organic one and there was no intention of pitching Muthu against anyone…” For the second ‘reading’ Panneerselvan cites MGR’s right hand man R. M. Veerappan who had asserted that, Muthu was indeed pitted against MGR to spite the latter.

Lyricist Vaali’s 1995 memoir ‘This Century and Me’

Lyricist Vaali, in his 1995 memoirs, had recorded his interactions with MGR about that particular lyric’s opening lines – ‘Did the Three forms of Tamil originate from You?’

“There was a special showing of that movie [‘Pillaiyo Pillai’] on one fine morning at the Devi Paradise theater. All including the Chief Minister Kalaignar [Karunanidhi] and ministers were there. During the intermission, MGR spoke praising Muthu’s acting and gifted a wrist watch to him. I also participated in that function. While about to leave in his car, MGR asked me to visit him, the next day morning for meals. The next day, I went to his thottam [house] as invited. In hospitality, none can beat MGR. With his own hands, he served Idlis and Thosais. While we were having meals, MGR began softly.

‘What Vaali? Did the three forms of Tamil, originated from M.K. Muthu?’ In a second, I could grasp what was in his mind.

 ‘Pillaiyo Pillai’ movie was directed by the directors Krishnan and Panju duo. Via Mr. Panju, Kalaignar had asked me to write a song praising his son Muthu. Due to this request, I had written that particular lyric was written in the form of film’s heroine praising the hero. Mr. M.S.Viswanathan also had composed the tune excellently in Charukesi raga. As such, my I told MGR the following:

‘Anne! M.K. Muthu is a young artiste with future. As such, I was asked to write a ‘wishing’ message. Even you had told me many times, that my Tamil should always be a ‘wishing’ type. Because of that, I had to write that.’ Though MGR did accept my explanation in a logical sense, his face told me that he couldn’t accept it completely. I realized that he was telling me without openly expressing it, this particular song if written to his movie, would have become extremely popular.’”

In quite a few of recent web-based video postings (e.g: Chitra Lakshmanan and Alangudi Vellaichamy) this particular Vaali anecdote had been borrowed and re-told with ‘decorations or exaggerations’ on how an irritated MGR felt about Muthu being ‘pushed into the ring’ against him by Karunanidhi. But, what was MGR’s true perceptions were unclear. A reporter Balakumar had asserted in 2023 that Muthu was marketed as ‘poor man’s MGR’ by Karunanidhi, while at the same time steps were taken in duplicitous angles to stall the release of MGR’s own production Ulagam Suttrum Vaaliban (1973).

The plot for the‘Pillaiyo Pillai’, was simply a carbon copy of a typical MGR (double role) movie, with confusion arising due to mistaken identities of two step-brothers born to the same villain father, including the whipping scene of villain, with a difference. Whereas in Enga Veetu Pillai’ movie, it was MGR’s one character pretending to whip two villains Nambiar and Thangavelu in the plot, while lip-synching Vaali lyric ‘Naan Aanaiyittal’ athu nadanthu viddal’ [If I issued a command, and it did happen], in ‘Pillaiyo Pillai’ movie, it was Muthu’s one character is shown giving whiplashes to villain Manohar really without lip-synching a Vaali lyric and being stopped by the character’s mother Vijayakumari (and wife of Manohar). Songs – 4 written by Vaali and one by Kannadasan – were limited to only five. Among these, one was assigned as hero’s solo ideology song. Whereas MGR promoted Anna in his solo songs, Muthu was forced to promote Karunanidhi’s deeds. Music maestro Viswanathan wisely opted to use T.M. Soundararajan for all four of hero’s songs, rather than permitting Muthu to sing for his character. Film music historian Vamanan includes an anecdote that Viswanathan was not that enamored with Muthu’s style of singing and had thought that he would be relieved from the composing duty for this debut movie. But, had to satisfy Karunanidhi’s request. And there was the ubiquitous ‘court room scene with Muthu’s one character in the accused cage’ and pouting Karunanidhi’s drawn out monologue (akin to Sivaji Ganesan’s 1952 debut movie ‘Parasakthi’, scripted by Karunanidhi).

MGR’s famous whipping scene in ‘Enga Veetu Pillai’ movie (1965), while lip-synching a song

Following his debut movie, only six more Muthu starrers were released, notably 3 were released sequentially in May, August and September in 1975; namely, Pookkari (Flower woman, 1973), Samayalkaran (The Cook, 1974), Ingeyum Manitharkal (Men are still here, 1975), Anaiya ViLLaku (Unextinguished Lamp,1975), Nambikkai Natchatiram (Trusted Star, 1975) and ‘Ellam Avale’ (Everything is Her, 1977). None of these six movies were of notable grade, either critically or financially. The last movie ‘Ellam Avale’ was released, three months after MGR assumed the chief ministership. After that, film offers from producers dried up for Muthu. The sole reason being, no producer wanted to hurt their fingers figuratively by antagonizing MGR.

Synopsis of Muthu filmography (1972-1977)

A synopsis of Muthu’s completed seven movies providing details of individuals involved in each of the movie project is given below. Quite a number of individuals were recognized participants in MGR movies as well: particularly directors Krishnan-Panju, music director M.S. Viswanathan, lyricist Vaali, actresses Lakshmi, Manjula, G. Sakuntala, ‘Vennira Aadai’ Nirmala, Chandrakala and Padmapriya, actors R.S. Mahohar, Nagesh, Thengai Srinivasan, and V.S. Raghavan. Even M.R. Radha (who had a serious altercation with MGR in January 1967) also appeared in Samayalkaran movie. The label ‘Anjugam Pictures’, named after Karunanidhi’s mother, was a newly established production house from Karunanidhi family. Muthu’s three of the seven movies were released under this label.

Title – Pillaiyo Pillai, released June 23, 1972; label – Anjugam Pictures.

producer – Selvam; director – Krishnan-Panju; script writer – M. Karunanidhi; music – M.S. Viswanathan; lyrics – Vaali, Kannadasan; cast – Muthu, Lakshmi, R.S. Manohar, S. Varalakshmi, C.R. Vijayakumari, V.K. Ramasamy, Thengai Srinivasan, G. Sakuntala

Title – Pookkari, released Oct 25, 1973; label – Anjugam Pictures.

producer – Selvam; director – Krishnan-Panju; script writer – T.N. Balu; music – M.S. Viswanathan; lyrics – Vaali, Panchu Arunasalam; cast – Muthu, Manjula, S.V. Subbiah, V.K. Ramasamy, Sriranjani, Thengai Srinivasan

Title – Samayalkaran, released Feb 15, 1974; label – Merina Movies.

producer – Gajendramani; director – Thirumalai Mahalingam; script writer – T.N. Balu; music – M.S. Viswanathan; lyrics – Vaali, Poovai Senguttuvan; cast – Muthu, Nirmala, M.R. Radha, V.K. Ramasamy, Thengai Srinivasan, Manorama

Title – Ingeyum Manitharkal, released May 2, 1975; label – Pachainayagi Films.

producer – N. Pappa Ammal; director – A.K. Narayanan; script writer – A.L. Narayanan; music – T.S. Nadesh; cast – Muthu, Nirmala, Pushpalatha, Nagesh, R.S. Manohar, Major Sundararajan, V.S. Raghavan, Srikanth.

Title – Anaiya ViLakku, released Aug 15, 1975; label – Anjugam Pictures.

producer – Selvam; director – Krishnan-Panju; script writer – T.N. Balu; music – M.S.Viswanathan; cast – Muthu, Padmapriya.

Title – Nambikkai Natchathiram, released Sept 26, 1975; label – Arivuchudar Movies;

producers – C. Chittibabu, M.K. Stalin, R.K. Chinnadurai; director – Thirumalai Mahalingam; scriptwriter – Mahendran; music – K. Lakshmi Narayanan; cast – Muthu, Sri Vidya, Vijayakumar, Nagesh.

Title – Ellam Avale, released Sept 20, 1977; label – Marina Movies.

producer – Gajendramani; director – Amirtham; script writer – T.N. Balu, music – M.S. Viswanathan; cast – Muthu, Chandrakala.

Quite many lyrics in Muthu’s subsequent movies, penned by Poovai Senguttuvan (one of Karunanidhi’s favored lyricists, who is also known for his Hindu devotional songs) featured MGR ridiculing lines and propaganda for Karunanidhi adopted policies. One such blatantly anti-MGR lyric penned by Poovai Senguttuvan, and sung by Muthu appeared in the 1975 released Ingeyum Manitharkal (Men are still Here) movie. It began with the lines, ‘Ellame therinjirunthum emara koodaathappa’ [You shouldn’t get fooled after knowing everything]. The Youtube clip for this song is as follows:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxPcJGnQMNM

Few lines of this lyric, in translation reads:

‘He acts like a protector of women folks

But, he tops others in virgin hunting

So much of wishes

So little of knowledge

His act had got shred

Now look at this joke(r).

He kicked the ladder by which he climbed

He fell down with the lamp he carried

He used to ask for accounts (of others) – Now

A problem with own account tripped him.’

Given the political tenor of mid-1970s, the movie failed in box office. Why? Despite the backing of his father’s career-maker prestige in script writing (for MGR, Sivaji Ganesan and S.S. Rajendran in late 1940s and early 1950s) in Tamil movies, Muthu was swimming against a pro-MGR wave. What the Tamil audience wanted was an original, and not a phony imitator. How could fans trust Muthu’s puppet act as handled by his father, of promoting himself as an MGR clone, and simultaneously ridiculing MGR’s success? Much to the disappointment of his father, Tamil movie fans sided with MGR by dumping Muthu.Karunanidhi was notably silent in his autobiography about the movie career of Muthu, that folded dismally in 1977. Rather than confessing his mistake in his own words directly, Karunanidhi meekly quoted a passage from Ma. Po. Sivagnanam’s article on MGR’s grief and the action he (Karunanidhi) had taken to dissolve it. What appeared in his autobiography was this item:

“[I] provide segments of an article written by Ma. Po.Si., the leader of Thamil Arasu Kazhagam.

MGR had created an issue with DMK, which is unrelated to policy. It’s difficult to comprehend this. At a meeting held in his constituency, MGR had stated with grief that MGR fan clubs are being re-constituted as M.K. Muthu fan clubs. After comprehending this, the chief minister had issued a report that M.K. Muthu fan clubs should be dissolved. We believed that with this, the issue was solved. But, it was not to be.” Apart from this inconsequential mention of Muthu via the thoughts of Ma. Po. Si., Karunanidhi had hidden the focal theme and messages presented in Muthu’s movies.

For sample, I provide below, three song clips of Muthu from Youtube clips. Two solo songs were from Samayaklaran movie. First was in Muthu’s voice, and the second was in T.M. Soundararajan voice.

Sonthakarunga enakku romba perunga –M.K. Muthu’s voice. The Youtube link is,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keR2kc48Or0

Naan – padidum kavithaiyin santham – T.M. Soundararajan’s voice with Muthu lip-synching. The Youtube link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUXxMUwtR2Y

The third song was a lullaby duet by Muthu and S. Kamala Devi (newly introduced singer), in the movie ‘Ingeyum Manitharkal’. It’s opening line was, Araro araro aruthal solvaaro. Youtube link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Xy6anRAvpw

This song sequence was obviously a blatant copying of an MGR-style scenario, with Muthu dressed in a prisoner’s uniform.

One of Muthu’s movie titles released in 1975 was Anaiya ViLLaku (Unextinguished Lamp). Unfortunately, within two years, Muthu’s career in Tamil cinema turned out to be an extinguished lamp. For this debacle, Karunanidhi couldn’t place the blame on MGR. And he was not sporting enough for pushing Muthu to pretend as the ‘next MGR’. Lyricist Vaali also had recorded, that the rights for his drama ‘Raja Veetu Kannukuddi’ [Calf of Raja’s House] were bought and Karunanidhi himself handed the check to him for such purchase. In addition, he had asked Vaali to write the script for the movie as Muthu’s next vehicle, for which another senior artiste Gemini Ganesan was also signed. Though all the preparations for shooting were completed, due to the Emergency Proclamation by Indira Gandhi in 1975, this project was abandoned.

Had Muthu persevered on his own without aping MGR, he might have established himself well ahead of Rajnikanth (b. 1950) and Vijayakanth (1952-2023) – both of whom subsequently made their attempts to pick up MGR’s crown. Unlike these two late arrivals, Muthu was blessed with singing talent as well. Insiders had noted that fate dealt him with rotten cards: Having lost his mother soon after his birth, Muthu destroyed his career by surrendering to alcohol, and Karunanidhi himself dropped him like a hot potato and turned his eyes towards his third son Stalin to promote this son as his political protégé.

Coda

In his autobiography, Karunanidhi erroneously mentions that ‘From 1967 to 1977, I didn’t participate directly in the film world.’ In reality, he was the designated script writer for Muthu’s debut movie released in 1972, while officially he was serving as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. For the remaining six released movies of Muthu, the designated script writers were other individuals. Nonetheless, one never knows, how much ‘input’ were from Karunanidhi’s hand or brain. In his seven decades of public life in politics and films, Karuanidhi was quick to claim quite a number of successes, but he rarely accepted his false steps which doomed either him or his family. Hindsight indicates that pushing Muthu vehemently against MGR in movies in the first half of 1970s to topple MGR in politics was a big false step, which Karunanidhi never owned up.

Despite his fumbled career in Tamil movies that lasted for not more than 5 years, Muthu carries a dubious distinction as one hero whose 7 released movies and the featured songs were overtly critical of MGR’s public life. A paragraph from Attar Chand’s book (a sloppy first biographer of MGR in English) carried this tangential sentence on Muthu, as one who ploughed the path for MGR’s success in politics.

“M.G. Ramachandran, who dominated Tamil filmdom for well over a quarter of century, was an unway transgressor into active politics until 1972. He took a plunge [in politics] when efforts were made to project a rising star and son of the then Chief Minister Karunanidhi, Mu Ka Muthu, to overtake him. Ramachandran mobilized his followers and fans and raised a banner of revolt on the cry of corruption in high places. Within five years he was swept into power.”

One is tempted to agree with this inference of Attar Chand. I resist from commenting on Muthu’s post-MGR period ‘difficulties’ with his father, because it’s beyond the scope of this biography.

Cited Sources

Film News Anandan: Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Tiraipada Varalaru [Tamil Film History and Its Achievements], Sivagami Publications, Chennai, 2004.

Attar Chand: M.G. Ramachandran – My Blood Brother, Gian Publishing House, Delhi, 1988, p. 28.

Balakumar: A non-political movie that catapulted MGR to great political heights. Swarajya magazine, May 26, 2023. [accessed, May 13, 2024]

https://swarajyamag.com/politics/a-non-political-movie-that-catapulted-mgr-to-great-political-heights

Robert L. Hardgrave: Politics and the film in Tamil Nadu – the stars and the DMK. Asian Survey, Mar 1973; 13: 288-305.

Karunanidhi: Nenjukku Neethi [Justice to the Heart], vol.1, 1975 [1985], pp. 104-105; vol. 2, 1987, p. 379, and vol. 3, Thirumagal Nilayam, Chennai, 1997, p. 242.

Aranthai Narayanan: Thamizh Cinemavin Kathai, New Century Book House, Chennai, 3^rd ed., 2008, pp. 613-614 and 677-678.

A.S. Panneerselvan: Karunanidhi –a Life, Penguin Random House India Ltd., Gurgaon, Haryana, 2021, pp. 215-216.

Premkumar G. Mayor S. Muthu and civic administration in Madurai. Shanlax International Journal of Arts, Science and Humanities, Apr 2018; 5(4): 433-436.

Kavignar Vaali: Naanum Intha Noorandum [This Century and Me], Kalaignan Pathippagam, Chennai, 1995, pp. 260-262, 285.

Vamanan: M.K. Muthu, Thirai Isali KaLanjiam, Manivasagar Pathipagam, Chennai, 2014, pp. 1085-1089.