logo
Mu. Ka. Muthu, Karunanidhi's eldest son, is no more

Mu. Ka. Muthu, Karunanidhi's eldest son, is no more

The Hindu5 days ago
Mu. Ka. Muthu, the eldest son of the late Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and half-brother of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, died in Chennai on Saturday (July 19, 2025). He had been ailing for a long time. He was 77 and is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.
Mr. Muthu was born to Karunanidhi's first wife Padmavathi, daughter of Chidambaram Padagasundaram Pillai, a renowned musician and composer. His maternal uncle, C.S. Jayaraman — a playback singer — rendered many songs for Sivaji Ganesan-starrers, including his debut film Parasakthi.
The way Mr. Muthu styled himself after MGR, even affecting a physical resemblance, was a source of some discomfort for his family. Mr. Muthu was promoted as an actor by Karunanidhi's family to produce a home-grown hero, as there was always tension between the DMK and film stars associated with the party. Actors like Sivaji Ganesan, M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), and poet Kannadasan were all once close to Karunanidhi.
Trained in music, Mr. Muthu also rendere songs for films in which he was cast as a hero. His maiden feature film was Pillaiyo Pillai, released in 1970. Interestingly, it was MGR who launched this film, the first in which Mr. Muthu was cast as a hero, and he even presented him with a gold watch. He later appeared in films such as Samayalkaran, Anayavilaku, Ingeyum Manidhargal, and Pookari.
The songs from these films — particularly 'Kaadhalin Pon Veethiyil' and 'Muthupal Siripennavo' in Pookari; 'Meenattam Kankonda Meenatchi' and 'Moontru Thamizh' in Pillaiyo Pillai; and 'Nalla Manathil Kudiyirukkum Nagoor Andava,' sung by Muthu in Anayavilaku — continue to enchant generations of cinema lovers.
'Mr. Muthu could have emerged as a successful film personality had he relied on his talents as a singer and actor. But his language, song sequences, and even hairstyle resembled those of MGR. This was one of the factors that contributed to the misunderstandings between MGR and Karunanidhi,' Subagunarajan, editor, Katchipizhai, once told The Hindu, noting that MGR continued to patronise Mr. Muthu even after leaving the DMK.
When Mr. Muthu wanted to join the AIADMK, MGR refused to admit him into the party. However, he eventually received financial assistance from Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in the early 1990s.
While his film career failed to take off, he also was not successful in politics. He faded into obscurity over the years.
Karunanidhi and mr. Muthu finally came together again in 2008 when the latter turned 60. It was then that he sought to remake his public image by singing a song composed by Deva for the film Maatu Thavani.
His body is being brought to his father's residence in Gopalapuram.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Kamal Haasan on Fahadh Faasil, Vadivelu's ‘Maareesan': ‘Left me laughing, thinking, and admiring its craft'
Kamal Haasan on Fahadh Faasil, Vadivelu's ‘Maareesan': ‘Left me laughing, thinking, and admiring its craft'

The Hindu

time8 hours ago

  • The Hindu

Kamal Haasan on Fahadh Faasil, Vadivelu's ‘Maareesan': ‘Left me laughing, thinking, and admiring its craft'

Veteran actor Kamal Haasan on Thursday (July 24) praised the Tamil film, Maareesan, starring Fahadh Faasil and Vadivelu, which is set to release in theatres on Friday. On his X handle, Kamal called the Sudheesh Sankar-directed film as one that 'dances effortlessly between wit and depth, leaving me laughing, thinking, and admiring its craft.' Stating that he has congratulated the team for their delightful creation, he called it the 'inventive, spirited cinema' that he gravitates towards. 'Beneath its humour lies a socially conscious lens on human emotion and a keen gaze at the darker shadows of our society,' he wrote. Watched Maareesan - a film that dances effortlessly between wit and depth, leaving me laughing, thinking, and admiring its craft. Had a wonderful conversation with the team to congratulate them on this delightful creation. Beneath its humour lies a socially conscious lens on… — Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) July 24, 2025 Written by V Krishna Moorthy, Maareesan follows a small-time thief (Fahadh) who befriends a stranger (Vadivelu) in a bid to rob him. The film marks a reunion between the two actors after their acclaimed 2023 film Maamannan. The Hindu's review of the film called it leisurely paced in the first half to set things up nicely for a thriller in the second half. 'The twists are many, but they all arrive slowly, like a character's change of intention and the subsequent actions. Do we really know someone fully? Maareesan explores this aspect in good measure by taking up a protagonist who has dementia. That itself is a triumph — because forgetfulness is a big ordeal. What is life without memories, the lead character asks nonchalantly, and you feel sympathetic to his state,' it read. The film also features Vivek Prasanna, Kovai Sarala and PL Thenappan playing pivotal roles. Sithara, Livingston, Renuka, Saravana Subbiah, Krishna, Haritha, and Telephone Raja are also part of the cast. With music scored by Yuvan Shankar Raja, the film has cinematography by Kalaiselvan Sivaji and editing by Sreejith Sarang. RB Choudhary produces Maareesan under his Super Good Films banner.

Court dismisses Ravi Mohan's ₹9 crore claim, orders ₹5.9 crore asset disclosure—appoints mediator to resolve row
Court dismisses Ravi Mohan's ₹9 crore claim, orders ₹5.9 crore asset disclosure—appoints mediator to resolve row

Time of India

time10 hours ago

  • Time of India

Court dismisses Ravi Mohan's ₹9 crore claim, orders ₹5.9 crore asset disclosure—appoints mediator to resolve row

Ravi Mohan, the popular South actor, currently has several films in the works, including 'Genie,' 'Karate Babu,' and 'Parasakthi.' Meanwhile, he is also producing a new film called 'Bro Code' under his own production company, 'Ravi Mohan Studios. ' In this situation, a film company called Bobby Touch Gold Universal has filed a case against Ravi Mohan in the Madras High Court . Film company claims Ravi Mohan accepted ₹6 crore. According to Nakkheeran, the petition states, 'A contract was signed for Rs. 15 crore to act in a film, and an advance payment of Rs. 6 crore was given. But Ravi Mohan did not act in that film and did not return the money but started his own production company and is making a new film. Therefore, the court should order the return of the advance money he gave," they demanded. The hearing of the case was adjourned to July 23, 2025, and Ravi Mohan was ordered to respond. Ravi Mohan files a countersuit seeking ₹9 crore for losses Instead, Ravi Mohan filed a lawsuit against the film company on his behalf. In the petition filed on his behalf, he sought compensation of Rs. 9 crore, explaining the loss incurred due to the fact that the shooting had not started despite the call sheet being issued as per the contract. When this case also came up for hearing on July 23, the court issued an order for the production company to respond. Both cases were listed for hearing simultaneously. Judge suggests returning money to avoid negative press During the hearing of the case, Judge Abdul Quddus questioned Ravi Mohan's side, saying, "This case is only creating negative publicity for your name. Wouldn't that be avoided if you returned the money?" In response, the actor's side explained, "Even though he told the production company that he would return the money when he starred in his next film, they did not accept it." The production company also alleged that "Ravi Mohan said he was living in a rented house due to personal matters, but he started his production company with advance money. " Subsequently, the judge appointed a mediator and took steps to settle the case. He also dismissed Ravi Mohan's compensation case and ordered the filing of property documents worth Rs. 5.90 crore within 4 weeks.

"Hope To Live Up To Expectations": Kamal Haasan Set For Parliament Debut
"Hope To Live Up To Expectations": Kamal Haasan Set For Parliament Debut

NDTV

time10 hours ago

  • NDTV

"Hope To Live Up To Expectations": Kamal Haasan Set For Parliament Debut

Chennai: Actor-turned-politician and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan is all set to be sworn in as a Rajya Sabha MP on Thursday. Speaking exclusively to NDTV en route to Delhi, Mr Haasan said he was "honoured" and conscious of the expectations placed upon him as he embarks on his parliamentary journey. "I am honoured to begin with. I know I've to do a lot. Something is expected of me - I hope I live up to those expectations. I'll try my best to be honest, earnest and speak for Tamil Nadu and India," he said. This marks a significant political milestone for the 69-year-old actor, who launched his party in 2017 with a focus on fighting corruption, rural development, and environmental sustainability. His party secured around 4 per cent of the vote in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and went on to contest the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, where Mr Haasan narrowly lost the Coimbatore South seat to BJP's Vanathi Srinivasan. Although MNM chose to stay away from the 2024 Lok Sabha electoral fray, it extended support to the ruling DMK, which has now rewarded Mr Haasan with a seat in the Upper House. He has since explained this shift as a "need of the hour". Notably, Mr Haasan's vision for direct benefit transfers to women, notably a monthly assistance scheme, was later adopted by the DMK and rolled out as its flagship Rs 1,000 monthly assistance to eligible women heads of households. With Mr Haasan now officially aligning with the DMK, MNM is expected to contest the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections as part of the DMK-led alliance. That election is already being anticipated as a star-studded four-cornered contest, with actor Vijay's TVK also set to make its political debut. Mr Haasan's entry into Parliament adds a new chapter to his public life - from cinema icon to reformist politician, and now a national lawmaker.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store