The up-and-coming actor was a bundle of nerves. He had to attend the wedding reception of Sivaji Ganesan's daughter but as a beginner in the first rung of the success ladder, he couldn't afford any of the flamboyance attached to film folks – not even a small car.
Tense moments
He went to the mammoth hall in a cab, whose glasses on the doors didn't work. Fans thronged the sides of the entrance to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars coming in for the event.
Suddenly one of them screamed. They had noticed him. Some started patting him on the cheeks, others pulled his chin or grabbed him by his shoulders for a ‘friendly handshake.' At the first chance the young actor jumped off the cab and darted towards the hall.
But how was he going to get out, come on to the road and taxi back home? He hovered in the periphery waiting for an opportune moment to leave. Many waved to him and left, but just one waited to find out whether he had a vehicle to take him home. His relief knew no bounds as he said, “I'll get off at the end of the road Sir.” But the gentleman insisted on dropping him home.
Twenty five years later the actor noticed the gentleman at a function groping in the crowd to find his way out. By now the man's eyesight had begun to fail him. Now it was the actor's turn to offer succour. He guided him to his car, got his address and took him home. “Thanks a lot,” the person said. “I'm just returning your kindness,” replied the actor. The actor was Sivakumar and the gentleman, popular yesteryear playback singer P.B. Srinivos!
Such incidents that evoke myriad emotions in the listener were highlights of Sivakumar's latest speech delivered at the Paavai Group of Institutions (that has nine colleges in its campus), Namakkal, in the presence of a 12,500-strong crowd, out of which 10,000 were students! Don't miss it this May Day (tomorrow) when Jaya TV will telecast the talk from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m .
Picking up personal anecdotes involving five towering film personalities he's rubbed shoulders with and an equal number from among the lay who've made an indelible impact on him, Sivakumar is all set to take you on a trip to his past. “Most of the people I spoke about aren't familiar names to the present generation. Yet seeing the them in rapt attention throughout made me realise the power of articulation which has to be used judiciously,” says Sivakumar.
Loosely translated the topic reads, ‘People who chiselled a young villager into an artist and a genuine human being.' Sivakumar's narration of the death of his young niece in a fire accident is moving. He shows that he's in awe of his mother who is no more and goes on to reiterate the magnanimity of stalwarts such as filmmaker S.S. Vasan and comedian N.S. Krishnan, the goodness of MGR and more.
The painter and actor turned public speaker proves yet again that if sentiments, emotions and expressions are crucial for an actor so are they for an orator if he has to keep his listeners spell bound.
