ABSTRACT
The imaging of M. G. Ramachandran's politics consists of three phases and two faces. The first phase approximately covers the 1950s climaxing in Naadoadi Mannan. The second phase runs through the 1960s till the formation of the ADMK in 1972. The third phase culminates in Mathuraiyai Meetta Sunthara Paandiyan.. Throughout all three phases, the tactexting is superbly intricate, complex and consistent, making political events and his films as co-texts. In consonance with the then prevalent political ideology of the DMK, the MGR starrers during the first phase alluded to the conflicts of the North versus the South, the Brahmin/Aryan versus the Dravidian, the United India versus the Dravida Nation, the Congress versus the Dravidar Munnetra Kazhagam, Hindi versus Thamizh, theism versus rationalism, subordination versus self-respect, and so on. Politically, the success of Naadoadi Mannan was primarily due to its bi-focal identity as a DMK film, it attracted his fans who were also active party workers at the grassroots.
