NFDC-NFAI adds three Sivaji Ganesan films to the national collection
09-10-2026 · English
Topics: Tamil Nadu · 9 October 2026 Current Affairs (UPSC / TNPSC / SSC / RRB)
News
The NFDC–National Film Archive of India (NFAI), Pune, added 35 mm prints of three Sivaji Ganesan films – 'Thiruvilayadal' (1965), 'Thiruvarutchelvar' (1967) and 'Thillana Mohanambal' (1968) – to its national collection (8 Oct 2026). All three were directed by A.P. Nagarajan. FTII film research officer Aparna Subramanian acquired and donated the prints.
Key facts
| Films | Thiruvilayadal (1965), Thiruvarutchelvar (1967), Thillana Mohanambal (1968) |
| Director | A.P. Nagarajan (all three) |
| Donor | Aparna Subramanian, FTII research officer; collected in Chennai on 13 Sept 2026 |
| Note | 'Thiruvarutchelvar' was not held in any format before; the other two are second copies |
| Archive | NFAI, Pune – set up in 1964 |
Background
- Sivaji Ganesan: born V.C. Ganesan (Chinnaiah Manrayar Ganesamoorthy) on 1 Oct 1928 at Villupuram; Periyar called him 'Sivaji' after his role as Shivaji in a 1946 play. His first film was 'Parasakthi' (1952); he died on 21 July 2001.
- Honours: Best Actor at the 1960 Afro-Asian Film Festival, Cairo, for 'Veerapandiya Kattabomman' – the first Indian actor to win it; France's 'Chevalier' (1995); Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1996); Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan.
- Thiruvilayadal is based on Paranjothi Munivar's 'Thiruvilayadal Puranam' – Lord Shiva's 64 divine plays at Madurai; Nagesh's 'Dharumi' role is famous. Thillana Mohanambal comes from Kothamangalam Subbu's serial in Ananda Vikatan – the story of a nadaswaram player and a dancer.
- NFAI was set up at Pune in 1964 under the I&B Ministry; in 2022 Films Division, NFAI, the Directorate of Film Festivals and CFSI were merged into the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). The 'National Film Heritage Mission' (NFHM) restores and digitises old films.
- Science: dyes in old colour prints break down, causing 'magenta fading'; cold, low-humidity storage is essential.
Tamil Nadu link: Sivaji Ganesan was born at Villupuram; 'Thiruvilayadal' draws on the sacred lore of Madurai's Meenakshi–Sundareswarar temple. The Sivaji Ganesan memorial (Manimandapam, 2017) stands at Adyar, Chennai.
Source: GKToday, 9 Oct 2026; Wikipedia
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