On Friday (November 14), Dulquer Salmaan's next film Kaantha will hit theatres. Since the unveiling of its first promo, the film has created immense buzz among film buffs in the country. While the film is promoted as a bilingual, it is essentially a Tamil film that is also being dubbed in Telugu.
According to reports, Kaantha is based on the story of MK Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, fondly remembered as Tamil cinema's first-ever superstar in the 1930s. Apart from being a prolific actor, Bhagavathar was also a gifted singer in Carnatic music and his duel skills in acting-singing made him a household name for over two decades. Bhagavathar also tried his hand at direction and achieved success as well.
It was his singing that got Bhagavathar his first shot at fame after having performed for crowds through unofficial concerts. People raved about his voice and it was only later that Bhagavathar got trained in classical music. Initially with no support from his family, Bhagavathar's father then realised his son's talents and backed him to pursue music deeply.
After establishing himself as a musical icon, Bhagavathar then took the big step towards cinema in the 1930s and while he only featured in 14 films, almost all of them broke records with some even running for two to three successive years. Such were Bhagavathar's heights in stardom that he was among the highest-paid actors in the entire country.
Bhagavathar was reportedly the first Tamil actor to own a Mercedes Benz, an unprecedented mark of wealth during his era. He also allegedly dined on two gold plates, the modern valuation of which would come to around Rs 1 crore apiece. His ultra luxurious lifestyle was drastic and widespread, and the fall from grace was equally sudden and deep.
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In 1944, Bhagavathar was among the three people arrested for the murder of noted journalist CN Lakshminathan who was stabbed to death. He was also proven guilty for the crime and had to serve three years in prison as his appeals for a retrial were denied. However, in 1947, a fresh trial resurfaced and this time, Bhagavathar was cleared of his charges along with fellow actor NS Krishnan due to lack of evidence.
The whole episode, however, dented Bhagavathar's legacy and stardom. He tried to regain lost ground with a few films upon comeback but none of them worked. It also didn't help that Bhagavathar's health condition was deteriorating with hypertension and diabetes. Ultimately, it led to his death although theories are that a remedial medicine he consumed after his final concert was responsible for Bhagavathar's demise.
It was a roller-coast ride for Tamil cinema's OG superstar who saw it all in his lifespan that lasted just 49 years. While Kaantha isn't a certified biopic, it is reportedly scripted with major incidents based on Bhagavathar's life.