Accolades rained on S.Ve. Shekher as celebrities from all walks of life felicitated him on December 26, his 70th birthday. The play ‘Comedy Darbar’ was staged as a fitting finale to an enjoyable evening, organised at MGR Janaki College for Women, Adyar, Chennai, by his troupe and well-wishers. A mix of the best scenes from his plays, it was a thorough entertainer. Shekher added to the laugh riot with his comments as he introduced the guests.
“Shekher’s good heart drew me here,” said Nalli Kuppusami Chetty. “I’ve known the actor ever since his younger days, when he was called the Comedy King. Decades ago, when people came under the spell of television, I wondered whether Tamil drama would disappear from stage. It was Shekher, who kept theatre alive with his plays. The Shekher-‘Crazy’ Mohan-Karthik Rajagopal combination made yeoman contribution to Tamil stage. I wish him a long life,” he said.
G.K. Vasan, political leader, said that Shekher was a multi-dimensional personality. “He is not only an actor, but a person inclined to serving society. He uses his political clout to help people in many ways. Shekher believes in god, loves his country and is not afraid to express his views. My best wishes to him,” he said.
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Ramabhadran, an ardent fan of Shekhar, said that he had seen all his plays several times. “Shekher has staged plays more than 6,500 times, out of which I have seen 4,500. “He has given me the permission to walk in, wherever he is staging a play. Such is his magnanimity,” the admirer revealed.
The speakers who felicitated included Nellai Sampath, Sekar Rajagopal, Arun Sampath, V.S.V. (journalist) EVR. Mohan Kumar Rajendran (grandson of MGR), Abhaswaram Ramji and Anbazhagan from the fishing community association.
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Shekher spoke at length on the social work done by his team of friends, including the members of his troupe Natakhapriya. He said that he was following in the footsteps of his father in serving the public.
“My father donated blood 8,500 times. His eyes were donated after his death. I’m organising at least 200 eye donations every month. Arranging the burial of unclaimed bodies is another activity. As an MLA, I was instrumental in getting a monthly salary to the workers in cemeteries.
“My father Venkatraman passed away on July 21, many years ago. On this day, every year, 200 cataract surgeries are arranged. Study material is provided for nearly 100 students every year. Nobody in Natakhapriya consumes alcohol. Our troupe is run like a trust. Money is ploughed into all the charity work mentioned above. We only pray that we get more opportunities and resource to help the less privileged,” he said.