69th General Assembly Meeting of the South Indian Actors’ Association – Press Release
The 69th General Assembly Meeting of the South Indian Actors’ Association was held this morning at the Kamaraj Arangam in Teynampet, Chennai.
At the beginning of the event, tributes were paid to 70 deceased artists including actress Saroja Devi, actors Delhi Ganesh, Rajesh, M. A. Prakash, Manoj K. Bharathi and the recently deceased Robo Shankar, who passed away in the past years.
In this event, Nadigar Sangam President Nassar, General Secretary Vishal, Treasurer Karthi, Vice Presidents Poochy Murugan, Karunas and all the general assembly administrators and members participated.
Also present were Sivakumar, Vadivelu, G.V. Prakashkumar, Sriman, Pasupathi, actresses M.N. Rajam, Sachu, Latha Ambika, Urvashi, Rekha, Sharmila, Rohini and many others. Especially senior artist M.N. Rajam, despite his advanced age, attended the event and made it special by sitting in a wheelchair.
In this event, senior artists and achievers were honored with awards in different categories. New resolutions were also announced in this general meeting seeking approval.
While speaking, Treasurer Actor Karthi said,
After Sathiyam Cinemas and PVR were taken over by a large corporate company, we fought to recover the Nadigar Sangam land that was theirs. Through the artistic programs organized by many legendary artists like Rajini sir and Kamal sir, the construction of this building started with everyone working together. We started the construction of the Nadigar Sangam building in 2017. Due to the irregularities that occurred during the counting of votes in the 2019 Nadigar Sangam election and the subsequent Corona period, the construction work was delayed for three years. We won the Nadigar Sangam election again and came in. We fought for two years to get a bank loan and start this construction work. We approached the bank and tried to get a loan of up to Rs 40 crore. But initially we only got Rs 25 crore. After five years, we started again and faced the challenge of making a lot of changes. Technology had changed in these five years. It was at that time that actor Raja sir came along and stood by us and supported the construction work. I have been inviting many people to come and see how the building is growing,” he said.
While speaking, General Secretary Vishal said,
Ten years ago, I was sitting next to you in a similar general meeting organized by the former leadership. At that time, it was with the courage of your support that I bravely took to the stage and expressed what was on my mind. It was actor Radharavi who made me a member of the Nadigar Sangam. But at one time, there was a situation where I had to compete against him and defeat him. After that, my brother Poochy Murugan brought me documents about the history of this Nadigar Sangam building, and Karunas was also looking for what to do. Nassar sir, who has been fighting for the development of the Sangam for almost 18 years, and my friend Karthi, all of us got together.
Actor Sivakumar sir also named our five-member group, which left for Madurai to meet and talk to drama actors, as Pandavar Aani. That is how this name came about. It is an honor to be standing here in this 69th general meeting. A film star will not be given a wife, he will not get a house. But I have only one member of our association (Dhanshika) as my life partner. I have already booked the first marriage in the first muhurtham of the Nadigar Sangam building when it opens. You all should come there and congratulate me.
The Nadigar Sangam has to face cases on many issues. The case of Nambirajan brother is ongoing. There are some people behind this. But since this matter is currently in the hands of the court, we cannot decide anything. But the costs of the cases have increased a lot due to such cases. Due to this, the pension, medical education, and educational assistance that were given to the members before have been stopped. If you want to file a case, file a case against the secretary and treasurer separately. We will face it. Do not file a case against the Nadigar Sangam like this.
Otherwise, keep filing cases like this. Even if you think you can evade justice, this building will grow quickly in a short time. You are going to see it. The brick you have taken is also in it. We are working together with you. The building It is coming up very grandly. Karthi and I will talk about the construction of the building at least ten times a day, its structure. Creation. From the smallest nut… to the boldest, we will talk in detail. When we go to events, the first thing our eyes see is the stage structures there. More than this, our construction
I hope Dum comes out great. Karthi’s hard work is not ordinary. The Nadigar Sangam building will be a landmark that the whole world will look back on. I have acted with all the people I have admired, I am proud to be on this stage with them, we will face the next election, we are not afraid, the election will be held, the building inauguration will also be held, the Lord above, the earth below, and you in the middle will be our support,” he said.
While speaking, Vice President Poochie Murugan said,
In the Actors’ Association building work, Karthi and Vishal have not only lifted the cement. They are dragging and dropping all the other tasks. Even though the association president Nassar is on set, he comes round at night and speeds up the work. Even though Karunas does not come in person, he keeps an eye on us through WhatsApp and gives us some advice. Nambiraj, who filed a case against Sakkat, has not even come to the general assembly and has filed a case. However, we invited him through the court to attend this general assembly. He did not come. Even though it took ten years to build this building, it will last for 100 years.
In the meantime, due to some reasons, the pension could not be paid to the association members “It’s gone. If that problem hadn’t happened, we would have given 800 more pensions than we gave to 600 people. But we will definitely not take action against Nambiraj, who is the cause of this problem. We are only going to implement the court’s order. We know who is directing him from behind,” he said, asking for permission to pass the resolutions to be passed in this general meeting and reading them.
Speaking, Chairman Nassar said,
“It has been ten years since I took this responsibility,” Karthi reminded. “But no matter how many events we have faced in between, they have all strengthened our bond. We faced trials together. Each one has its own uniqueness. Karunas raised his voice like a weapon. Poochimurugan gave me the clarity and courage to speak legally. Vishal and I were sitting in the opposite row at the general assembly held ten years ago. That was the first time Vishal took the stage and spoke. We have been together since then. We have reformed the corrupt system in these ten years.
Even though the members of the association have filed a case against us, actor Raja, who has no connection with the association, has voluntarily come forward and supported the development of this building. This building will start a new history. It will add beauty to your life. It will remove darkness and add light,” he said, “This is the highest award for an outstanding artist in this country where 150 crore people live. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award has been given to my friend and actor Mohanlal. The South Indian Actors’ Association is very proud of that,” he said.
While speaking, actor Vadivelu said,
It is an honor to be standing here in front of senior artists MN Rajam, Sachu, Latha, and my brother Sivakumar, who has been like a mother and father to me in this cinema and has given me advice and guidance at the right times. Sachuma often asks me what Vadivelu is doing. Sivakumar brother, after watching my film, says, “You have acted so well.. Why don’t you come and kiss me in person?”
However, we are a little disunited on one issue. I feel I should say this at this time. Some people on YouTube, regardless of whether they are big artists or small artists, continue to talk about our artists in an ugly, vulgar, and wrong way. The Actors’ Association is there to protect actors. I am not saying that the Actors’ Association is not working for that. Even if there is a slight rift among the artists, they blow it up and dig a well. We should not give it space. Currently, action has been taken against two or three people who spoke indecently like that. But they still continue to speak. I have spoken to Poochimurugan brother many times to take action against them.
Four or five more people are roaming like that. Only if they all are put in a wedge will this film industry be understood. At the same time, some of the actors themselves pay such people to speak against those they do not like. It is shocking that they pay people to speak against others so that their film can be released. Similar things happen in the Producers’ Council too.
Some of the actors in our association are complicit in this. If this were Kerala, they would have picked up those who speak like this and smeared them with spices. But no one does that here. Those in charge of the Actors’ Association, including the current president Nassar, should take action against such people as a wartime measure and make them look like they do not exist. Only if they do that will the Actors’ Council
They will understand what it means.
We need to make those people sleepless. Only then can we sleep peacefully. All the artists are working together to entertain the people. Now they go inside the theaters and ask for negative reviews about the film from those who come back after watching the film. If the producers concerned do not give them money, then almost ten people are destroying the cinema together. Whatever the Producers’ Association is doing to them or not, the Actors’ Association should put an end to them. This is my humble request,” he said.
Actor Sivakumar, speaking, “
The late K. Subramaniam laid the foundation for the founding of the Actors’ Association in 1952 by Pillaiyar Suzhi. The first female member of that Actors’ Association was actress M.N. Rajam. I have seen her since I was 17. Many years later, I played her son in the film Kanmani Raja. I will never forget that in my life. At a time when Banumathi, Savitri from Telugu, Padmini and KR Vijaya from Malayalam were in the limelight, our Tamil woman M.N. Rajam gained immense popularity on par with them.
M.N. Rajam was the first female artist to enter the Boys Company theatre group run by Ethartham Ponnusamy at the age of 7, when men had to play female roles. She acted bravely in MR Radha’s film Rathakannir at the age of 14. She played a comedy-tinged role in the first color film of Tamil cinema, Ali Babavum 40 Thirudarkulum. She is a great woman who has acted with almost five generations of actors. I am very proud to present her with this award this year through this Nadigar Sangam,” she said.
Actress Urvashi, while speaking,
“Thank you for inviting me here and honoring me and giving me the award for winning the National Award. That too, I am very proud to have been awarded by our Nadigar Sangam here in Tamil Nadu for the award I received for a Malayalam film. Similarly, if Tamil actors win a national award, I will definitely urge the Malayalam Nadigar Sangam to invite them and honor them.
There will be many people like me when the Nadigar Sangam building is inaugurated. They may have stayed away for some reason. But now it is a great joy to see the Nadigar Sangam building standing so grandly. Many people are sad. They should leave all that behind. Everyone should come and congratulate them. With your congratulations, the Nadigar Sangam building should be completed even bigger. I am happy that I have received this national award and we are all together, without dividing Malayalam cinema and Tamil cinema. I thank everyone for this,” he said.
