How Jayalalithaa's onscreen image helped establish her political one: From 'glam doll' to Amma

She arrived as a ‘star’ when Tamil cinema transitioned from black and white to colour. Her dancer’s poise, grace and striking complexion made her a natural choice to play the unconventional role of a young widow in her debut film, veteran director Shridhar’s  Vennira Aadai (1965; meaning ‘The White Dress’). However, J Jayalalithaa (her name was then spelt as ‘Jayalitha’) is best remembered for her bold and appealing presence in what would be the first-of-27-films in which she was paired with then CM-candidate and most popular hero in the South — MG Ramachandran (MGR). Aayirathil Oruvan (1965, meaning ‘One in a Thousand’) is often mistaken as Jayalalithaa’s first film, because it went on to become a cult super-hit: Here was a newcomer heroine, a reticent girl who should’ve been giving her Class 10 exams coolly matching steps with the mighty MGR! She was such a natural in the songs, her Tamil diction was clear as crystal and her character — of the sparkling princess Poongodi — complemented the one and only “Purathi Thalaivar” (‘rebel leader’; the female noun ‘Puratchi Thalaivi’ would become Jaya’s, years later). Even at that young age, Jayalalitha wasn’t intimidated by MGR’s towering star-status. Instead, she came across as fearless and confident in her role because self-admittedly, she didn’t ‘plan’ on a film career and hence had zero awe for its perks. Her mother was a ‘character artiste’ but Jayalalithaa entered and exited cinema as a top-billed heroine. [caption id=“attachment_3142168” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Stills from Jayalalithaa’s movies[/caption] Jaya was the first ‘urban heroine’ the South ever had. While other actresses tried being educated or modern because their roles demanded them to be so, Jayalalitha was naturally well-read and could hold conversations off-camera as well. She had no qualms wearing swimsuits or capris on screen and always looked like she was a model when she wore those ‘modern outfits’. She even gave an interview where she’s quoted as having said: “So what will people wear in a swimming pool? Salwar kameez?” ‘Bold and beautiful’ could have been her motto as she forged an illustrious and sprinkled with super-hits career across Tamil and Telugu cinema. She will be remembered forever as Lord Krishna’s (N T Ramarao’s) bold consort Sathyabhama in Andhra Pradesh. Incidentally, Jaya always delivered her lines herself — no matter which language film she was acting in. Her pairing with Sivaji Ganesan resulted in some noteworthy performances — Sumathi En Sundari (1971) had her playing herself, an actress. She is perhaps one of the early heroines who got to call the hero by his first name on-screen because she looked like she was a woman who was “equal to a man”. Savaale Samaali (1971; meaning ‘Manage the Challenge’) and Pattikaada Pattanamaa (‘Village or City’; 1972) were similar but Jayalalithaa played these polished, city-bred and bordering-on-arrogance roles with great panache. Also read — Jayalalithaa on the silver screen: From Vennira Aadai to Aayirathil Oruvan, here’s a lowdown She also starred in romantic comedies, the supremely hilarious Galatta Kalyanam (1968; meaning ‘Fun-filled Marriage’) being foremost among them. In Avandhan Manithan (1975; ‘He is the man’) she plays secretary to a boss (Sivaji Ganesan) who proposes to her. She rejects him as she’s in love with his employee (Muthuraman), who marries her and becomes doubtful and develops a complex about her platonic friendship with her boss! Selecting such story-lines — apart from acting in box office hits with MGR — made her famous across the A, B and C centres of Tamil Nadu. Then there was the riding-on-her-star-power-alone Suryagandhi (1973) – a film which spoke of a husband-wife equation where the wife gets more acclaim in her business career, with scenes that addressed feminism in a subtle manner (on the lines of Abhimaan, but released six days ahead of it in July 1973). Paired with the versatile Muthuraman, Jayalalithaa transitions from being his girlfriend to wife to dutiful daughter-in-law and sister-in-law while managing a soaring career, pining for her husband’s understanding with dignity. A performance which won her many awards, Suryagandhi (‘Sunflower’) remains one of her best remembered roles. Jayalalithaa was a nonchalant actor and the adjectives most commonly used for her included ‘bubbly, beautiful, graceful, glamorous’. When ‘modern outfits’ on screen meant the salwar-kameez, Jayalalithaa went all-glam for dream sequence songs — watch her in ‘Ninaithen vandhai nooru vayathu’, in which she has a Cleopatra-like appearance, with MGR as a knight-in-shining-armour, from the film Kaavalkaaran (‘The Protector’).

To transcend from that glam-doll/beauty queen image to become the revered Amma (Mother of the State) took her but a little while! She looked her best in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s when her political appearances and stint at the Rajya Sabha saw her wear printed silk saris — with an open smile to match. Her intelligence ensured she moved up the ladder in the AIADMK and made the party and MGR ‘look good’ on national forums as she spoke in impeccable English and played to her strengths. Her formidable will and fighting spirit made her win every time she was put down. In films and in politics, J Jayalalithaa was indeed a superstar. Her early roles in MGR films mostly saw her as a rich, arrogant, urban girl whom the hero ‘taught’ a few lessons in life. In a recent TV interview, Jayalalithaa was asked about this ‘arrogance’. She replied: “I’m a woman and if I’m not this way, men would merely put their hand on my shoulder and talk.” What foresight then, to build her political image on the one quality which made her on-screen roles so successful!