Nagesh

Early career (1958-1961)

Early in his life, he saw the Tamil play Kamba Ramayanam, enacted by his colleagues, and felt that he could do a good job. He persuaded the secretary of the railway's cultural association to give him the role of a man suffering from stomach pain. MGR, then chief guest, seeing this play, in his speech praised Nagesh for his performance. From then onwards, Nagesh played small roles in various drama troupes.^[9]

He got his first break in the film Manamulla Maruthaaram (1958), in which Balaji played the lead role.

Though he had his initial training in theatre, he did not carry any baggage from the stage to the screen. He intuitively understood the difference between the two mediums. That turned out to be his strong point. It was a time when the comedian Chandrababu was fading out of Tamil cinema, having lost his money and health, and Nagesh could slide into that slot comfortably.

His variety of humour was wholesome and free from double entendres. It was also a time when the Jerry Lewis-Dean Martin duo was at the height of its glory in Hollywood. Nagesh was greatly influenced by Jerry Lewis, as can be seen from his early films.

Nagesh won critical acclaim for his performance in the movie Thayilla Pillai (1961).^[10]

Rise to prominence (1962-1975)

Nageshs role as a ward boy in Nenjil Or Aalayam (1962) established his position. Sridhar, the director of that movie, was also on the rise and he signed up Nagesh in some of his most successful films such as the 1964 comedy Kadhalikka Neramillai.^[11]

The great actor's performance as a hospital ward boy in Nenjil Or Aalayam earned him the success and he followed it up with some powerful roles in Periya Idathu Penn (1963), Server Sundaram (1964), Enga Veettu Pillai (1965), Neerkumizhi (1965) and Anbe Vaa (1966).

There was T. R. Ramanna’s Panakkara Kudumbam (1964) where Nagesh acted in four roles as son, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.^[12]

Nagesh rose to prominence through Server Sundaram (1964) for which he received praise for his evergreen comedy performances as a server in a hotel.^[13] The film was helmed by director duo Krishnan–Panju and the screenplay had been written by K. Balachander. It also marked the first collaboration between Nagesh and K. Balachander. Since then it led to many successful collaborations between the two.^[14]

Nagesh’s screen persona combined style and substance. Witty dialogue delivered with a superb sense of timing, mimicry, mannerisms, facial expressions ranging from grotesque contortions to deadpan countenance, slapstick and humorous body language were his hallmarks. He also became to lead actor in some films. Many of these did not do well at the box office presumably due to a mental block among fans in seeing comedians as heroes. Nevertheless, Nagesh’s acting brought in rave reviews. Some like Server Sundaram (1964) and Edhir Neechal (1968) were blockbusters.

He featured regularly in the film projects of M.G.R and Sivaji Ganesan even at a time when there was a massive rift between the two leading actors in Tamil cinema at that time.^[15]

In the case of Nagesh, one can never forget his memorable roles in various films. He dominated the industry in the 1960s.^[16]

The director who brought out the best in Nagesh was K. Balachander. Neerkumizhi (1965), Naanal (1965), Major Chandrakanth (1966), Bama Vijayam (1967), Anubavi Raja Anubavi (1967), Thamarai Nenjam (1968), Edhir Neechal (1968), Poova Thalaiya (1969), Iru Kodugal (1969), Navagraham (1970), Patham Pasali (1970) and Apoorva Raagangal (1975) were all films by Balachander where Nagesh provided marvellous displays of his histrionic talents.

Resurgence and rewards (1976-1994)

Nagesh who was riding the crest of a wave as the popular actor had a big decline in the late seventies and early eighties. While his popularity with fans had not decreased film producers were reluctant to cast him in their movies. This was due to Nagesh becoming an alcoholic. The problems he caused producers, directors and co-stars made him an untouchable. Thus Nagesh faded away from the public gaze for many years.

He played the role of writer Jayakanthan in the 1977 movie Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal. Nagesh appeared as himself in Thillu Mullu (1981), the Tamil remake of Gol Maal. Nagesh's career enjoyed a partial resurgence from the 1980s onwards when he acted in a number of movies, mostly in elderly roles, some of them as the villain.

Nagesh had a good relationship with Kamal Haasan, with whom he had co-starred in a variety of movies between 1975 and the 2000s. Kamal Haasan cast Nagesh in most of his self-productions regularly.^[17] His most remembered role as a villain was in the 1989-hit Apoorva Sagodharargal. Kamal Haasan again gave a role for Nagesh in the comedy flick Michael Madana Kama Rajan (1990). During the shooting of Michael Madana Kama Rajan, Nagesh pretended to be disappointed and unhappy over his role as Avinashi and had also argued in jest with Kamal Haasan.^[18][19] He even acted as a dead body in the 1994 film Magalir Mattum. He won a National Film Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role in Nammavar (1994).^[20]

Later years (1995-2008)

Nagesh did a series of supporting roles in the 1990s and 2000s.

Subsequently, he starred in numerous notable films, including Ayudha Poojai (1995), Poove Unakkaga (1996), Tholi Prema (1998), Kaathala Kaathala (1998), Rhythm (200), Minnale (2001) and Poovellam Un Vaasam (2001).

Nagesh acted in Tamil films till a few months before his death in 2009. Notable among some of his later movies were Panchathanthiram (2002), Vasool Raja MBBS (2004), Imsai Arasan 23m Pulikesi (2006) and his last appearance Dasavathaaram (2008).^[21][22] However, an animated version of him was seen in the 2014 performance capture film Kochadaiiyaan.^[23][24][25]

Tamil films

Telugu films

Malayalam films

Other language films

• Note: not to be confused with the Kannada actor of the same name.

Director