Even as there is anxiety among party cadre and growing concern among political party leaders regarding DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, recuperating at a Chennai hospital after suffering a setback to his health, people of this textile city have begun to make a beeline to a nondescript house in a city locality that was his abode when he first forayed into films.
M Karunanidhi's house in Singanallur
Coimbatore:
Tucked away in a narrow lane at Singanallur in Coimbatore is a modest house among high rise buildings. This tile-roofed, old house with a single room hasn’t changed much in all these years, though the locality has gone through a rapid transformation. It was from this humble house that Karunanidhi began his film journey and later became the ‘Godfather’ of Tamil Nadu politics. Ever since Kalaignar was hospitalised for age-related illness, DMK workers are turning up in steady numbers to know where it all began.
“When our ‘thalaivar’ moved to Coimbatore in 1945, he first stayed in this house and paid Rs 10 per month as rent. In Kalaingar’s memoir ‘Nenjukku Neethi,’ the DMK leader had fondly recalled that his foray into the film world began in this 10 x10 ‘kuruvikoodu’ (sparrow’s nest) house,” said ‘Thalapathy’ Elango, the party’s district youth wing organising secretary.
“Every day, Kalaignar would either take a long walk to Central Studios, where yesteryear films were shot or take a horse cart ride to write the screenplay for films. At 19, his first film Rajakumari starring MGR and directed by ASA Sami, became a hit. It was also the first film, in which MGR acted in a lead role,” Elango said. It was followed by ‘Abimanyu,’ Karunanidhi’s second film as a scriptwriter. While working on films in Coimbatore, friendship blossomed between the DMK stalwart and matinee idol MGR. The DMK stalwart lived in Coimbatore for a couple of years. After his second film, our ‘thalaivar’ shifted to Chennai to further his career in films and politics. Karunanidhi had visited the house, when its owner Annasamy passed away in 1993. Later, his son and the party’s working president MK Stalin too paid a visit to the house,” Elango said.
“The party wanted to acquire the house and set up a library in memory of Karunanidhi. However, the heirs of Annasamy did not want to sell the property. The family, however, has expressed hope of giving away the house for the cause in future,” he added. A Mani, Annasamy’s son, said that he feels proud to have stayed in the house where the DMK stalwart once resided. “We are now happy to play host to numerous DMK cadre who are thronging the house to learn about Karunanidhi’s early life,” he said.