J. Jayalalithaa

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In this Indian name, the name Jayaram is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Jayalalithaa.

J. Jayalalithaa
J Jayalalithaa.jpg
Jayalalithaa in August 2015
5th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
In office
23 May 2015 – 5 December 2016
Governor
Preceded byO. Panneerselvam
Succeeded byO. Panneerselvam
ConstituencyRadhakrishnan Nagar
In office
16 May 2011 – 27 September 2014
Governor
Preceded byM. Karunanidhi
Succeeded byO. Panneerselvam
ConstituencySrirangam
In office
2 March 2002 – 12 May 2006
Governor
Preceded byO. Panneerselvam
Succeeded byM. Karunanidhi
ConstituencyAndipatti
In office
14 May 2001 – 21 September 2001
Governor
Preceded byM. Karunanidhi
Succeeded byO. Panneerselvam
ConstituencyDid not contest
In office
24 June 1991 – 12 May 1996
Governor
Preceded byPresident's rule
Succeeded byM. Karunanidhi
ConstituencyBargur
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
In office
3 April 1984 – 28 January 1989
Leader of the House
Preceded bySathyavani Muthu
Succeeded byTha. Kiruttinan
ConstituencyTamil Nadu
Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
In office
29 May 2006 – 14 May 2011
Chief MinisterM. Karunanidhi
Preceded byO. Panneerselvam
Succeeded byVijayakant
ConstituencyAndipatti
In office
9 February 1989 – 30 November 1989
Chief MinisterM. Karunanidhi
Preceded byO. Subramanian
Succeeded byS. R. Eradha
ConstituencyBodinayakkanur
Member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
In office
4 July 2015 – 5 December 2016
Chief MinisterHerself
Preceded byP. Vetrivel
Succeeded byT. T. V. Dhinakaran
ConstituencyRadhakrishnan Nagar
In office
23 May 2011 – 27 September 2014
Chief MinisterHerself
Preceded byM. Paranjothi
Succeeded byS. Valarmathi
ConstituencySrirangam
In office
24 February 2002 – 14 May 2011
Chief Minister
Preceded byThanga Tamil Selvan
Succeeded byThanga Tamil Selvan
ConstituencyAndipatti
In office
1 July 1991 – 12 May 1996
Chief MinisterHerself
Preceded byK. R. Rajendran
Succeeded byE. G. Sugavanam
ConstituencyBargur
In office
6 February 1989 – 30 January 1991
Chief MinisterM. Karunanidhi
Preceded byK. S. M. Ramachandran
Succeeded byV. Panneerselvam
ConstituencyBodinayakkanur
General Secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
In office
9 February 1989 – 5 December 2016
Inaugural HolderM. G. Ramachandran
Preceded byS. Raghavanandam
Succeeded byV. K. Sassikala
Propaganda Secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
In office
1983–1984
Party PresidentM. G. Ramachandran
General SecretaryP. U. Shanmugam
Personal details
Born(1948-02-24)24 February 1948
Melukote, Mysore State, Dominion of India
(present day Karnataka, India)
Died5 December 2016(2016-12-05) (aged 68)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Cause of deathCardiac Arrest
Resting placePuratchi Thalaivi Jayalalithaa Ninaividam
NationalityIndian
Political partyAll India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam AIADMK Two Leaves.png
RelativesDeepa Jayakumar (niece)
ResidenceVeda Nilayam
81, Poes Garden, Chennai,
Tamil Nadu, India
Alma mater
Profession
  • Film actress
  • writer
  • politician
  • philanthropist
Awards
SignatureJ. Jayalalithaa's signature
Nickname(s)Amma, Puratchi Thalaivi, Thanga Thaaragai, Kalai Selvi

Jayaram Jayalalithaa[lower-alpha 1] (24 February 1948 – 5 December 2016) was an Indian politician and film actress who served as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu for more than fourteen years between 1991 and 2016. From 9 February 1989, she was the general secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), a Dravidian party whose cadre revered her as their "Amma" (mother) and "Puratchi Thalaivi" (Revolutionary leader).[3] Her critics in the media and the opposition accused her of fostering a personality cult and of demanding absolute loyalty from AIADMK legislators and ministers, who often publicly prostrated themselves before her.[4]

Jayalalithaa first came into prominence as a leading film actress in the mid-1960s. Though she had entered the profession reluctantly, upon the urging of her mother to support the family, Jayalalithaa worked prolifically. She appeared in 140 films between 1961 and 1980, primarily in the Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages. Jayalalithaa received praise for her versatility as an actress and for her dancing skills, earning the sobriquet "Queen of Tamil Cinema".[5] Among her frequent co-stars was M. G. Ramachandran, popularly known as M.G.R, a Tamil cultural icon who leveraged his immense popularity with the masses into a successful political career. In 1982, when M.G.R was chief minister, Jayalalithaa joined the AIADMK, the party he founded. Her political rise was rapid; within a few years she became AIADMK propaganda secretary and was elected to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India's Parliament. After M.G.R's death in 1987, Jayalalithaa proclaimed herself his political heir and, having fought off the faction headed by V. N. Janaki Ramachandran, M.G.R's widow, emerged as the sole leader of the AIADMK. Following the 1989 election, she became Leader of the Opposition to the DMK-led government headed by M. Karunanidhi, her bête noire.

In 1991 Jayalalithaa became chief minister, Tamil Nadu's youngest, for the first time. She earned a reputation for centralizing state power among a coterie of bureaucrats; her council of ministers, whom she often shuffled around, were largely ceremonial in nature. The successful cradle-baby scheme, which enabled mothers to anonymously offer their newborns for adoption, emerged during this time. Despite an official salary of only a rupee a month, Jayalalithaa indulged in public displays of wealth, culminating in a lavish wedding for her foster son in 1995. In the 1996 election, the AIADMK was nearly wiped out at the hustings; Jayalalithaa herself lost her seat. The new Karunanidhi government filed several corruption cases against her, and she had to spend time in jail. Her fortunes revived in the 1998 general election, as the AIADMK became a key component of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 1998–99 government; her withdrawal of support toppled it and triggered another general election just a year later.

The AIADMK returned to power in 2001, although Jayalalithaa was personally disbarred from contesting due to the corruption cases. Within a few months of her taking oath as chief minister, in September 2001, she was disqualified from holding office and forced to cede the chair to aide O. Panneerselvam. Upon her acquittal six months later, Jayalalithaa returned as chief minister to complete her term. Noted for its ruthlessness to political opponents, many of whom were arrested in midnight raids, her government grew unpopular. Another period (2006–11) in the opposition followed, before Jayalalithaa was sworn in as chief minister for the fourth time after the AIADMK swept the 2011 assembly election. Her government received attention for its extensive social-welfare agenda, which included several subsidized "Amma"-branded goods such as canteens, bottled water, salt and cement. Three years into her tenure, she was convicted in a disproportionate-assets case, rendering her disqualified to hold office. She returned as chief minister after being acquitted in May 2015. In the 2016 assembly election, she became the first Tamil Nadu chief minister since M.G.R in 1984 to be voted back into office. That September, she fell severely ill and, following 75 days of hospitalization, died on 5 December 2016 due to cardiac arrest and became the first female chief minister in India to die in office.

On 29 May 2020, Jayalalithaa's nephew J. Deepak and niece Deepa Jayakumar were declared as her legal heirs by Madras High Court.[6]

Early life, education and family

Jayalalithaa was born on 24 February 1948 as Komalavalli after her grandmother at Melukote, Pandavapura taluk, Mandya district, then in Mysore State (now Karnataka) to Jayaram and Vedavalli (Sandhya) in a Tamil Brahmin Iyengar family.[7][8][9][10]

She was fluent in several languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, Malayalam and English.[11] She spoke with actress Saroja Devi in Kannada regularly as they were close friends and would talk to each other only in Kannada. She often conversed with Karnataka Chief ministers in Kannada. Basavaraja Bommayi, the former irrigation minister of Karnataka said, “I was astonished by her Kannada slang and fluency.”[12][13]

The name Jayalalithaa was adopted at the age of one for the purpose of using the name in school and colleges. It was derived from the names of two houses where she resided in Mysore. One was "Jaya Vilas" and the other "Lalitha Vilas". Her paternal grandfather, Narasimhan Rengachary, was in the service of the Mysore kingdom as a surgeon, and served as the court physician to Maharaja Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV of Mysore. Her maternal grandfather, Rangasamy Iyengar, moved to Mysore from Srirangam to work with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. He had one son and three daughters—Ambujavalli, Vedavalli and Padmavalli. Vedavalli was married to Jayaram son of Narasimhan Rengachary. The couple Jayaram-Vedvalli had two children: a son Jayakumar and a daughter, Jayalalitha.[14] Her mother, her relatives and later co-stars and friends referred to her as Ammu.[15]

Jayalalithaa's father, Jayaram, was a lawyer but never worked and squandered most of the family's wealth. He died when Jayalalithaa was two years old. The widowed Vedavalli returned to her father's home in Bangalore in 1950.[4] Vedavalli learnt shorthand and typewriting to take up a clerical position to help support the family in 1950. Her younger sister Ambujavalli had moved to Madras, working as an air hostess. She also started acting in drama and films using the screen name Vidyavathy. On the insistence of Ambujavalli, Jayalalithaa's mother Vedavalli also relocated to Madras and stayed with her sister from 1952. Vedavalli worked in a commercial firm in Madras and began dabbling in acting from 1953 under the screen name Sandhya. Jayalalithaa remained under the care of her mother's sister Padmavalli and maternal grandparents from 1950 to 1958 in Mysore.[4][14] While still in Bangalore, Jayalalithaa attended Bishop Cotton Girls' School, Bangalore.[16] In later interviews, Jayalalithaa spoke emotionally about how she missed her mother growing up in a different city. She had the opportunity to visit her mother during summer holidays.[14]

After her aunt Padmavalli's marriage in 1958, Jayalalithaa moved to Madras and began to live with her mother. She completed her education at Sacred Heart Matriculation School (popularly known as Church Park Presentation Convent or Presentation Church Park Convent).[14][17]

She excelled at school and was offered a government scholarship to pursue further education.[16] She won Gold State Award for coming first in 10th standard in the state of Tamil Nadu. She joined Stella Maris College, Chennai; however, discontinued her studies due pressure from her mother and became a film actress.[18][19]

The Poes Garden plot was bought by Jayalalithaa and her mother in 1967. Jayalalithaa's mother sandhya died in November 1971 at the age of 47.[20] Jayalalithaa herself held the house warming ceremony of her residence Veda Nilayam (named after her beloved mother Vedavalli alias Sandhya) on May 15, 1972 early in the morning, followed by dinner and a Veena recital by classical musician Chitti babu in the evening.[21] Her brother's wedding took place at her Veda Nilayam home in Poes Garden in 1972.[22][23] Her brother Jayakumar, his wife Vijayalakshmi and their daughter Deepa Jayakumar lived in Poes Garden with Jayalalithaa till 1978[24] and then moved to T.Nagar Madras at the bungalow 'Sandhya Illam' which was bought by mother of Jayalalithaa.[25] Her brother was unhappy with adoption of Sudhakaran, a relative of Sasikala, as foster son of Jayalalithaa.[26]

Jayalalithaa had adopted Sasikala's nephew Sudhakaran in 1995 and disowned him in 1996.[27] Her brother died in 1995 of heart attack.[28]

She was fond of having dogs as her pets. But after death of Julie, a spitz, in 1998 she could not bear the loss and hence discontinued keeping pet dogs at her home.[29]

Film career

See also: Jayalalitha filmography

Early career

In Madras (now Chennai), Jayalalithaa was trained in Carnatic music, western classical piano[30] and various forms of classical dance, including Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam, Manipuri, Kathak.[31] She learnt Bharatnatyam and dance forms under K.J.Sarasa.[32] She had also learnt Kuchipudi under Padma Bhushan Guru Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam. She became an accomplished dancer and gave her debut dance performance at the Rasika Ranjani Sabha in Mylapore in May 1960.[33] The Chief Guest at the Arangetram was Shivaji Ganesan, who called her a "thanga silai" (golden statue) and expressed wish that Jayalalithaa becomes a film star in future.[34][35]

While a child, Jayalalithaa acted in the Kannada-language film Sri Shaila Mahathme (1961), which had Rajkumar and Krishna Kumari in lead roles.[36] She had been taken to the studio by her mother as she was shooting in the same premises for a different film. While Jayalalithaa was watching the shooting, a problem arose as the child actress playing the Goddess Parvathy in a school drama scene in the film failed to show up and the producer Neerlahalli Thalikerappa and director Aroor Pattabhi asked Sandhya if Jayalalithaa could be asked to act in the dance sequence. Sandhya agreed and Jayalalithaa was swiftly dressed up as Parvathy and the scene was shot in Sri Shaila Mahatme.[37]

She played Lord Krishna in a three-minute dance sequence held on stage in the Hindi film Man-Mauji (1962) and danced with Kumari Naaz who played Radha. Y. G. Parthasarathy ran the drama troupe United Amateur Artistes (UAA), which staged English and Tamil plays. Soon Jayalalithaa while a schoolgirl began acting in some plays of Parthasarathy along with her mother and aunt. She acted in small roles in plays such as Tea House of the August Moon and Undersecretary between 1960 and 1964.

Shankar Giri, the son of the former Indian President V. V. Giri, saw her small role in the English play Tea Houses of August Moon and was impressed. Shankar Giri approached her mother Sandhya and told he wanted to cast her daughter in an English film called The Epistle. Sandhya reluctantly agreed with the condition that shooting should be held only during weekends or school holidays.[33]

Sandhya had acted in the 1964 Tamil film Karnan, produced and directed by Kannada film-maker B. R. Panthulu. Jayalalithaa accompanied her mother to a party related to the film and was spotted by Panthulu, who then decided to cast her opposite Kalyan Kumar in the Kannada movie Chinnada Gombe. He promised to finish all shooting within two months in order not to interfere with her education. Since Jayalalithaa would be studying for her PUC in two months' time, Sandhya had declined the offer initially.[38] Sandhya agreed when that promise was made and Jayalalithaa started acting and she was paid ₹3,000 (equivalent to ₹130,000 or US$1,500 in 2019). Panthulu kept his promise and completed shooting in six weeks. Jayalalithaa had forgotten all about films after acting in her Kannada debut film and had got ready to attend classes at Stella Maris as she had the ambition to be a lawyer. But the Kannada debut film became a blockbuster in 1964 and she became a well-known face.

Meanwhile, Jayalalithaa continued acting in Parthasarathy's plays. She played the leading role in plays such as Malathi, The Whole Truth, and the dance drama Kaveri Thanda Kalaiselvi between 1960 and 1966. She made her debut as the lead actress in Kannada films while still in school, age 15, in Chinnada Gombe (1964).[38] She also appeared in a dance sequence of a song named "Malligeya Hoovinantha" in the movie Amarashilpi Jakanachari (1964).[4]

She made her debut in Tamil theatre in April 1964, when she played a sales girl in the drama named Undersecretary. Parthasarathy and Sandhya were the lead characters, while Jayalalitha and Cho Ramaswamy were paired together and A. R. Srinivasan was also involved. The play was based on the lives of middle aged couple and Jayalaithaa played character of sales girl in the drama. Her performance caused Parthasarathy to make her lead heroine in a drama named Malathy. Meanwhile, the films she had shot during her vacation in April–May 1964—Chinnada Gombe and Manushulu Mamathalu—became blockbusters. By end of 1965, she had become popular among film producers and directors.[38] She was approached by C. V. Sridhar for her Tamil film debut as well. Between 1964 and 1966 she did around 35 shows of drama named Malathy and later discontinued as she became very busy in films.[33] It was during the year 1964, financial debts had increased of Sandhya and she suggested her daughter make use of the increasing film offers to come her way.[39]

Jayalalithaa's debut in Tamil cinema was the leading role in Vennira Aadai (1965), directed by C. V. Sridhar.[32] She made her debut in Telugu films as lead actress in Manushulu Mamathalu opposite Akkineni Nageswara Rao. Her last Telugu release was also opposite Akkineni Nageswara Rao in the film Nayakudu Vinayakudu, which was released in 1980.[40] She was the first heroine to appear in skirts in Tamil films.[41] She acted in one Hindi film called Izzat, with Dharmendra as her male costar in 1968.[42] She starred in 28 box-office hit films with M.G. Ramachandran between 1965 and 1973.[43] The first with MGR was B.R. Panthalu's Aayirathil Oruvan in 1965 and their last film together was Pattikaattu Ponnaiya in 1973.[44]

Jayalalithaa donated gold jewelleries she had to the then Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.[45]

She had 11 successful releases in Tamil in 1966. In the opening credits of Arasa Kattalai, for the first time her name was affixed with the phrase Kavarchi Kanni.[46] In 1967 she bought her bungalow, Veda Nilayam, in Poes Gardens for ₹1.32 lakh (equivalent to ₹57 lakh or US$65,000 in 2019).[47]

Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar was on the lookout for a regular heroine for his production after he had fight with the actress Savitri after the release of Vetaikkaran, and he signed Jayalalithaa on in 1965. She became a regular heroine for production house Devar films from 1966.[48]

Jaishankar was romantically paired with Jayalalithaa in eight Tamil films including Muthu Chippi, Yaar Nee?, Nee!, Vairam, Vandhale Magarasi, Bommalattam (1968), Raja Veetu Pillai and Avalukku Aayiram Kangal, whereas the films Thanga Gopuram and Gowri Kalyanam had him play elder brother to her.

Jayalalithaa acted in twelve films as heroine opposite N. T. Rama Rao, in Telugu—Gopaludu Bhoopaludu (1967), Chikkadu Dorakadu (1967), Tikka Sankaraiah (1968), Niluvu Dopidi (1968), Baghdad Gaja Donga (1968), Kathanayakudu (1969), Kadaladu Vadaladu (1969), Gandikota Rahasyam (1969), Ali Baba 40 Dongalu (1970), Sri Krishna Vijayamu (1970), Sri Krishna Satya (1972), and Devudu Chesina Manushulu (1973). Jayalalitha had eight films with Akkineni Nageswara Rao in Telugu—Manushulu Mamathalu (1965), Aastiparulu (1966), Brahmachari (1968), Aadarsa Kutumbam (1969), Adrushtavanthulu (1969), Bharya Biddalu (1972), Premalu Pellillu (1974) and Nayakudu Vinayakudu (1980).

She also made a guest appearance in Telugu film Navarthi (1966). Her films in Telugu also included two with Krishna and one each with Sobhan Babu, Jaggayya, Ramakrishna and Haranath.[49] She was given on-screen credit as Kalai Selvi in most of her Tamil films since 1967.[38]

Later career

List of Best Actress awards for J. Jayalalithaa
Award Wins
Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress
 5[50]
Tamil Nadu Cinema Fan Award for Best Actress
 8[51]
Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil
 2[52]
Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu
 1[51]
Russian Film festival
 1[51]
Madras Film Association Awards for Best Actress
 7[53]

Between 1965 and 1973, Jayalalithaa starred opposite M. G. Ramachandran in a number of successful films, including Aayirathil Oruvan, Kavalkaran, Adimai Penn, Engal Thangam, Kudiyirundha Koyil, Ragasiya Police 115 and Nam Naadu.[42][54] Cho Ramaswamy cast her in the lead role in his directorial venture Yarrukkum Vetkam Illai.[55]

She acted with Ravichandran in ten films—Gowri Kalyanam (1966), Kumari Penn (1966), Naan (1967), Magarasi (1967), Maadi Veettu Mappilai (1967), Panakkara Pillai (1968), Moondru Yezhuthu (1968), Andru Kanda Mugam (1968), Avalukku Aayiram Kangal and Baghdad Perazhagi (1974).[38] In 1972, she acted opposite Sivaji Ganesan in Pattikada Pattanama, which went on to win the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil in 1973.

In 1973, she acted in Sri Krishna Satya, which won her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress in Telugu.[56] Her other films with Sivaji Ganesan include Galatta Kalyanam and Deiva Magan; the latter holds the distinction of being the first Tamil film to be submitted by India for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.[57]

Jayalalithaa was paired opposite Sivaji Ganesan in 17 films. She acted in six films with R. Muthuraman as a romantic leading pair—Dhikku Theriyadha Kaattil, Thirumangalyam, Kanavan Manaivi, Avandhan Manidhan, Suryagandhi, Anbu Thangai[38] and Muthuraman played supporting roles in Kannan En Kadhalan, Major Chandrakanth, Naan, En Annan, Adi Parashakti, Thaer Thiruvizha, Dharmam Engey, Chitra Pournami and Oru Thaai Makkal. She made her debut in Malayalam with Jesus (1973).[58] Her 100th film was Thirumangalyam (1974), directed by A. Vincent.[59]

She was romantically paired opposite Sivakumar in Kandan Karunai and Sri Krishna Leela. Sivakumar played supporting roles in Shakti Leelai, Yarrukum Vetkam Ilali, Thirumangalyam, Annaivelakanni, Kavalkaran, Motoram Sunderapillai and Ganga Gowri.[60]

The heroes of her films never objected to the title of the film being conferred on the female lead played by Jayalalithaa. Adimai Penn, Kanni Thaai, and Kannan En Kadhalan had Ramachandran as the lead male hero but the story and the title was built around the character played by Jayalalithaa. Similarly, Engerindo Vandhaal, Sumathi En Sundari, Paadhukaappu and Anbai Thedi had Sivaji Ganeshan as the male lead but the title and the story was built around her character. She did many female-centric films where the story revolved on her character, such as Vennira Adai, Yaar Nee?, Kumari Penn, Nee, Gowri Kalyanam, Magaraasi, Muthu Chippi, Thanga Gopuram, Avalukku Ayiram Kangal, Annamitta Kai, Vandhaale Magaraasi, Suryagandhi, Thirumangalyam, Yarukkum Vetkam Illai, and Kanavan Manaivi.

She received the title "Nadippuku Ilakkium Vahuthavar" from then Chief Minister Karunanidhi[61][62] and also won Tamil Nadu Cinema Fan Award for Best Actress for her 100th film Thirumangalyam in 1974.[63] Her last film in Tamil was Nadhiyai Thedi Vandha Kadal (1980).[42] Her last film as the heroine was Nayakudu Vinayakudu in Telugu,[64] which became the highest grosser of the year in Telugu.

Her successful Kannada films include Badukuva Daari (1966), Mavana Magalu (1965), Nanna Kartavya (1965), Chinnada Gombe (1964) and Mane Aliya (1964). Jayalalithaa holds the record for having been the Tamil actress with maximum silver jubilee hits in her career—85 hits of 92 Tamil films as main female lead heroine and she also has all 28 films in Telugu as silver jubilee hits.[39] She was the highest-paid Indian actress from 1965 to 1980. She made guest appearances in nine films and six of her films were dubbed into Hindi. She had 119 box office hits between 1961 and 1980, of the total 125 films she did as the main female lead. She made a brief appearance in 1992's Neenga Nalla Irukkanum.[65]

Jayalalithaa won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress for Thanga Gopuram in 1971, Raman Thediya Seethai in 1972, Suryagandhi in 1973, Thirumangalyam in 1974, and Yarukkum Vetkam Illai in 1975.[66] She acted in mythological films like Kandan Karunai, Aadhi Parashakti, Shri Krishna Satya, Shri Krishna Vijayam, Shri Rama Katha, Shri Krishna Leela, Shakti Leelai, Ganga Gowri, Annai Velankanni and Jesus. Her period dramas include Ayirathil Oruvan, Neerum Neruppum, Mani Magudam, Adimai Penn, Ali Baba 40 Dongalu, Arasa Katalai, and Baghdad Perazhagi.

She acquired the reputation of being a multi-faceted actor equally comfortable in fantasy and mythological genres as well as in modern social dramas[67] and hence in 1969, in Tamil Conference, she was given the tag of "Kaveri Thandha Kalai Selvi".[68]

She, Savitri and Saroja Devi have been cited as the first female superstars of Tamil cinema. She did double roles in eight films.[69]

She received Special Award from Filmfare for her performances in 'Chandhrodhayam', 'Adimai Penn' and 'Engirundho Vandhaal' in the years 1966, 1969 and 1970 as the Filmfare Award for Best Actress was introduced only in 1972.[70] Her performance in Pattikada Pattanama, Suryagandhi were critically acclaimed and won her consecutive Filmfare Award for Best Actress in 1972 and 1973, respectively.

From 1968 to 1973, at the peak of her career she took interviews and wrote columns in the magazines like Bommai. She wrote a column-"Ennangal Sila" in magazine Thuglak in the 1970s. She also wrote a short story, "Oravin Kaidhigal", for the magazine Kalki, "Manadhai Thotta Malargal" for Thaai magazine in the early 1980s.[71] She wrote about her own life in a serialised memoir in the Tamil weekly magazine Kumudam.[72]

In 1980, she decided to voluntarily decline any new film offers. The journalist Brian Laul wrote an article specifying Jayalalithaa was trying for a comeback but was not being offered any roles. Jayalalithaa chose to respond to him by writing a letter, in which she mentioned that she was not struggling to make any comeback and that she turned down the offer from producer Balaji to star in Billa (1980) alongside Rajinikanth. She added she wanted to pursue other interests and was not interested in pursuing her film career any further.[73]

Her closest friends from film industry included Manorama,[74] Cho Ramaswamy,[75] Rajasree, Jamuna, Saroja Devi, Kumari Sachu, Anjali Devi, Sowcar Janaki, Sukumari,[76] Ravichandran, R. Muthuraman, Nagesh, M. N. Nambiar, Vennira Aadai Nirmala, S. A. Asokan, Jaishankar, V.K.Ramaswamy, Major Sundarrajan, P.Susheela, Sheela, M. S. Viswanathan, L. R. Eswari, R.S.Manohar.[77]

She quoted on M. G. Ramachandran, "He was a very warm and caring kind of a person. And after Mother died, he replaced her in my life. He was everything to me. He was mother, father, brother, friend, philosopher, guide. Everything. He sort of took over my life." In many of her interviews she often said she entered films on being asked by her mother and entered politics on request by M. G. Ramachandran.[78]

Political career

Main article: Political career of Jayalalithaa

Controversies

Personality cult

Followers of Jayalalithaa often worshiped her as a divine being. She stimulated a cult following, and adoring supporters often termed her "Adi Parashakti" (the eternal mighty goddess).[79] Several experts say that over the years the cult called 'Amma' has been carefully crafted. Others claim that the emotional outburst is just a spontaneous display of loyalist support. C Lakshmanan of the Madras Development Institute studies, who has studied personality cult in the politics of Tamil Nadu, said posters were installed around the state portraying Jayalalithaa as a goddess back then.[80] She was worshiped by the party cadre as "Amma" (Mother). She made sure the respect and loyalty of the functionaries of the party was there for everyone to see. The entire Cabinet would fall in line and bow in front of the helicopter in which it was flying. Members of the party, at all levels never found it difficult to prostrate before her in full view of the public.[81] Many of her worshipping followers are known to profess their loyalty through acts such as walking on hot coals or drawing her portrait with their blood.[82] S Kirubakaran who is a Journalist-turned-advocate, wrote a book on Jayalalitha titled, 'Ammavin Kathai,' said that when MGR was a Chief Minister, he carefully chose MLAs and Ministers for the first time after going through their knowledge and experience. But Jayalalithaa had begun to assign those who praised her.[83] Even after her death, the AIADMK leaders continued to prostrate themselves before her burial ground.[84][85]

1999 Attempted murder case

A case of murder attempt were registered against Jayalalithaa, her close associate Sasikala, and Sasikala's nephew V Mahadivan has been recorded by the Chennai police on following a complaint by former Jayalalithaa's auditor, Rajasekaran, who alleged that he was summoned to the Poes Garden bungalow and violently assaulted by Jayalalithaa, Sassikala and Mahadevan with a stick and high-heeled shoes.[82][86] Rajasekaran also stated that he had been forced by Jayalalithaa and Sassikala to sign two letters and a promissory note in respect of ₹50 lakhs. Jayalalithaa, however, denied the charges in a statement.[87][88]

Corruption cases

1996 colour TV case

Main article: Colour TV case

In the colour TV corruption case involving the purchase of TV sets to villagers, Jayalalithaa was charged and arrested. The TV sets were provided in the framework of a government education and entertainment plan for the village population. Officials said the TVs were purchased at inflated prices and claimed that some of the money paid for TV stations was returned as kickbacks to government officials.[89] Later, she was acquitted as the accusation against them were not proven beyond doubt.[90]

Detained in 1996, the media reported that 21.28 kg of gold jewels worth Rs 3.5 crore, 10,500 saris, 91 designer watches, 750 pairs of shoes, 1,250 kg of silver objects worth 3.12 crores, diamonds worth 2 crores, a silver sword and 19 vehicles were among the priceless treasures found at her house.[91]

1995 Foster son and luxury wedding corruption

In 1995, Jayalalithaa's assistant Sassikala's nephew Sudhakaran was engaged to the youngest daughter of Sivaji Ganesan. Jayalalithaa was a chief minister of state by this time. Jaya declared that Sudhakaran would be adopted as her foster son and said that she would be performing his marriage as his mother.[27][92]

The wedding occupied a 2-km long lighted baraat pathway, ten dining halls each accommodating 25,000 people, and a 75,000 square foot pandal. Tons of plywood, paris plaster and paint were used to erect cut-outs of Jayalalitha, arches, several hundred papier-mache statues, elaborate facades of palaces and gateways. The VIP invitations included a silver plate enclosed in a container, a silk saree and a silk dhoti, each worth ₹20,000.[93] The marriage hosted more than 1,000 VIPs. More than 40,000 guests were granted accommodation in the hotel. A legion of elephants and chefs brought in from Kerala.[94] The incident, hailed as "the mother of all marriages". People's anger mounted against her as the crores were lavished at the wedding, and Jayalalithaa and Sassikala became symbols of corruption. She was accused of using government money to celebrate the grand marriage.[95] The marriage may have triggered the AIADMK to lose all 39 Lok Sabha seats in the 1996 general election.[96]

She was later sentenced for 4 years in jail in 2014 for corruption related to the marriage and the Disproportionate assets case.[97]

Jayalalithaa owns a Guinness Book of World Records for conducting the luxury wedding. The record shows that over 1,50,000 guests have been invited. The Income-Tax Dept estimated the cost of the wedding at ₹10 crore.[98]

Jayalalithaa later disowned Sudhakaran as her foster son.[92]

1998 TANSI land deal case

Main article: TANSI land acquisition case

The TANSI land deal case refers to the purchase of land by Jaya Publications, which included Jayalalithaa and her friend Sassikala, from the State Small Industry Company, Tansi, Guindy. Justice P Anbhazhagan delivered the judgment, and said that the evidence stated in the prosecution sheet, and that the sale deed of the prime land in Guindy had been carried out on 29 May 1992, in the unequivocal aim of cheating against the government. The Supreme Court disqualified her in September 2001, resulting in her stepping down and which made O. Panneerselvam as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. The Madras High Court acquitted her and other 5 accused in the case of all the charges on 4 December 2001.[99][100]

Disproportionate assets case

Main article: Disproportionate assets case against Jayalalithaa

Jayalalithaa was initially convicted of misusing her office during her tenure in 1991–1996. Subramanian Swamy was the main petitioner. Some of the accusations concerned expenditure on her foster son's luxurious marriage in 1996 and acquiring properties worth more than 66.65 crore, as well as jewelry, bank deposits, investment and a convoy of luxury vehicles. The trial lasted for 18 years. Justice John Michael D'Cunha, in a detailed judgement, showed that the entire asset belonged to the accused and no one else.[101] On 11 May 2015, Jayalalithaa was absolved of all charges by the High Court of Karnataka. On 14 February 2017, the Supreme Court of India overruled the High Court of Karnataka. Sassikala and the other accused were convicted and sentenced to four years in prison, as well as to a fine of ₹10 crore each.[102][103]

2000 Pleasant Stay hotel case

Main article: Pleasant Stay hotel case
See also: 2000 Dharmapuri bus burning

Pleasant Stay hotel case is the construction of the seven-story hotel "Pleasant stay" in Kodaikanal, which was in breach of the rules for the construction of the seven-story building in a blue ville in the tourist resort town in Kodaikanal. Jayalalithaa, Selvaganapathy and Pandey granted a permission to create a seven-story structure at the hotel. The case was related to Jayalalithaa's supposed clearance by violating government rules to the development of a hotel in ecologically significant Kodaikanal. Jayalalithaa was sentenced in February 2000 to one year's strict imprisonment, with the penalty fined Rs.1000 for conspiracy and criminal misconduct as a public employee. After the court's decision, AIADMK cadres started to riot and arson which burned alive three female students in the Dharmapuri bus burning and many were killed and injured.[104] The Madras high court later acquitted her on 4 December 2001.[105]

Illness, death and reactions

The then President Pranab Mukherjee paying tribute to Jayalalithaa in Rajaji Hall

On 22 September 2016, Jayalalithaa was admitted to Apollo Hospitals in Chennai, as she was suffering from an infection and acute dehydration. Her official duties were handed over to her aide O. Panneerselvam on 12 October 2016, though she continued to remain as the chief minister of the state.[106] She was also said to be suffering from a severe pulmonary infection and septicaemia, which were cured. On 4 December 2016, she was re-admitted to the intensive care unit after suffering a cardiac arrest around 16:45.[107] The hospital released a press statement stating that her condition was "very critical" and that she was on life support.[108] On 5 December 2016, the hospital announced her death and she became the first female chief minister to die in office in India.[109]

Government of India declared a one-day national mourning with the national flag in all government buildings flying at half-mast.[110] While a seven-day mourning from 6 to 12 December 2016 was observed by Government of Tamil Nadu,[111] also three day state mourning from 6 to 8 December 2016 were observed by Government of Kerala[112] and the Government of Puducherry.[113] One day state mourning on 6 December 2016 was observed by Government of Karnataka,[114]Government of Bihar,[115]Government of West Bengal,[116]Government of Punjab[117] and Government of Goa.[118] Her body was kept in state at her residence Veda Nilayam in Poes Garden and later at Rajaji Hall for public to pay their tribute. Her last rites were performed on the evening of 6 December 2016 and she was buried at the northern end of the Marina Beach in Chennai in a sandalwood casket engraved with "Puratchi Thalaivi Selvi J Jayalalithaa", near the grave of her mentor M. G. Ramachandran at the MGR Memorial.[119][120][121]

Dispelling rumours surrounding Jayalalithaa's death, Dr. Richard Beale, the consultant intensivist from the London Bridge Hospital, said the former Tamil Nadu chief minister was critically ill and acute sepsis led to her death.[122]

In September 2017, C. Sreenivaasan of AIADMK courted controversy by saying that V. K. Sassikala's family was responsible for Jayalalithaa's death. Sreenivasan said that he had to lie about the late chief minister's death because of pressure.[123]

In popular culture

In Mani Ratnam's political drama Iruvar (1997), the character of Kalpana portrayed by Aishwarya Rai, was inspired by Jayalalithaa and her professional and personal relationship with M. G. Ramachandran.[124][125][126] Faisal Saif completed work on major portions of a film titled Amma between 2014 and 2016, but was forced to shelve it following threats from members of Jayalalithaa's political party. The makers denied that the film was a biopic, but stated that actress Ragini Dwivedi portrayed a role resembling the politician.[127][128]

Since Jayalalithaa's death, several filmmakers have announced biopics on the politician, with six currently in production. In January 2017, Telugu filmmaker Dasari Narayana Rao registered the title Amma and began preparing for a biopic on the politician. The film was being planned with Anushka Shetty in the lead role, but Rao's death in May 2017 effectively ended the project, despite indications that Mohan Babu may revive it.[129][130] Producer Adithya Bharadwaj announced that his team were over a year into pre-production work for a proposed biopic of Jayalalithaa, during December 2017. Titled Thaai: Puratchi Thalaivi, he revealed that it would predominantly be a fictionalised retelling of her story with some real life footage also included. Bharadwaj suggested that he had briefly touched upon the possibility of a biopic with Jayalalithaa when she was alive, but the script had to be reworked following her death. Despite his suggestions that the film would begin production in January 2018, the project did not take off.[131][132] Soon after news emerged about Vijay's and Priyadarshini's biopics in August 2018, Adithya reconfirmed that Bharathiraja had been signed to be the director of the film. He added that the team were considering either Aishwarya Rai or Anushka Shetty for the role of Jayalalithaa, and either Kamal Haasan or Mohanlal for the role of M. G. Ramachandran.[133]

In August 2018, producer Vishnu Vardhan Induri of Vibri Media announced that he was working on a biopic of Jayalalithaa, and that A. L. Vijay would direct the project.[134] The team announced that pre-production work and research was ongoing and that the film would focus on the personal life of the politician, showing her vulnerable side. Actresses including Nayanthara and Vidya Balan were initially approached by Vijay to star in the lead role, while Sai Pallavi was considered for the supporting role of V. K. Sasikala. Titled Thalaivi (2021), the film began its shoot after a long pre-production phase in November 2019 with Kangana Ranaut signed to play the lead role.[135][136][137] Within a day of Induri's announcement of making a film, director Priyadarshini announced that she had also been working for four months on the pre-production of a biopic, which would be launched in September 2018. Priyadarshini suggested that she had four scripts ready, with each focusing on different aspects of Jayalalithaa's life, and that the narration would be balanced by showing both her positive and negative sides.[137][138] Titled The Iron Lady, Nithya Menen was signed on to play the lead role, while Aishwarya Rajesh and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar were in talks for a supporting role for the character of Sasikala.[139][140][141]

Another biopic to be shot as a web-series by Gautham Menon became the fourth such announcement of a related project in August 2018.[142] Production on the series progressed quietly throughout late 2018, with Ramya Krishnan selected to play Jayalalithaa, and Indrajith and Vamsi Krishna portraying M. G. Ramchandran and Sobhan Babu respectively.[143][144] In October 2018, Sasikala's nephew Jeyanandh Dhivakaran announced a further biopic on Jayalalithaa, which would focus more on her relationship with Sasikala and M. Natarajan. Director Linguswamy was signed on to the project, and began pre-production work by meeting close aides and politicians of Jayalalithaa.[145] In April 2019, director Jegadeswara Reddy announced that he was set to make a film titled Sasilalithaa, which would showcase the relationship between Jayalalithaa and Sasikala. A first look poster was launched, with Reddy announcing that he would enter talks with Kajol and Amala Paul to play the lead roles.[146]

Jayalalithaa also appeared in an episode of Rendezvous with Simi Garewal, an informal chat-show hosted by Indian actress Simi Garewal, where she talked about her personal life and acting/political career.[147]

Elections contested and positions held

Tamil Nadu Legislative elections

Elections Constituency Party Result Vote percentage Opposition Candidate Opposition Party Opposition vote percentage
1989 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election Bodinayakkanur AIADMK Won 54.41 Muthu Manoharan DMK 27.27
1991 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election Bargur AIADMK Won 65.18 T. Rajendar TMK 29.34
Kaangayam AIADMK Won 63.44 N. S. Rajkumar Manraadiar DMK 32.85
1996 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election Bargur AIADMK Lost 43.54 E. G. Sugavanam DMK 50.71
2002 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly by-election Aandippatti AIADMK Won 58.22 Vaigai Sekar DMK 27.64
2006 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election Aandippatti AIADMK Won 55.04 Seeman DMK 36.29
2011 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election Thiruvarangam AIADMK Won 58.99 N. Anand DMK 35.55
2015 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly by-election Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar AIADMK Won 88.43 C. Mahendran CPI 5.35
2016 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar AIADMK Won 55.87 Shimla Muthuchozhan DMK 33.14

Posts in Parliament of India

Year Constituency Position From To
1984 Tamil Nadu Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha 3 April 1984 28 January 1989

Posts in Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly

Year Constituency Position From To
1989 Bodinayakkanur Leader of the Opposition 9 February 1989 30 November 1989
1989 Bodinayakkanur Member of Legislative Assembly 1 December 1989 30 January 1991
1991 Bargur Chief Minister 24 June 1991 12 May 1996
2001 Not Contested Chief Minister 14 May 2001 21 September 2001
2002 Aandippatti Chief Minister 2 March 2002 12 May 2006
2006 Aandippatti Member of Legislative Assembly 19 May 2006 28 May 2006
2006 Aandippatti Leader of the Opposition 29 May 2006 14 May 2011
2011 Thiruvarangam Chief Minister 16 May 2011 27 September 2014
2015 Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar Chief Minister 23 May 2015 22 May 2016
2016 Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar Chief Minister 23 May 2016 5 December 2016

Awards and honors

Notes

  1. ↑ In 2000 Jayalalitha appended an additional letter "a" to her name for numerological reasons.[1][2]

See also

Further reading

  • Vassanthi (2016). Amma: Jayalalithaa's Journey From Movie Star To Political Queen. Juggernaut. ISBN 978-8193284148.
  • Vassanthi (2008). Cut-outs, Caste and Cines Stars. Penguin Books India. ISBN 978-0-14-306312-4.
  • Ramaswamy, Vijaya (2007). Historical dictionary of the Tamils. United States: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-470-82958-5.
  • Swaminathan, Roopa (2002). M.G. Ramachandran: Jewel of the Masses. Rupa Publications. p. 1986. ISBN 9788171678976.
  • Velayutham, Selvaraj (2008). Tamil Cinema: The Cultural Politics of India's Other Film Industry. Routledge. p. 93. ISBN 978-0-415-39680-6.
  • Vanitha, Rose (2005). Love's Rite. Penguin Books India. ISBN 978-0-14-400059-3.
  • Das, Sumita (2005). Refugee Management: Sri Lankan Refugges in Tamil Nadu, 1983–2000. Mittal publications. ISBN 9788183240666.
  • Jagmohan (2007). My Frozen Turbulence In Kashmir. Allied Publishers. ISBN 9788181242174.
  • Sen Sri Raman, Papri (2017). Jayalalithaa: A Journey. Delhi: Vitasta Publishing. ISBN 978-9382711865.

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