M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar

Cinema

Indian actor, producer and Carnatic music singer

Vishwakarma

Late Sh. Mayavaram Krishnamurthy Thyagaraja Bhagavathar (1 March 1910 – 1 November 1959), also called M.K.T., was an Indian actor, producer and Carnatic music singer. He is considered to be one of the most successful actors in Tamil cinema ever and the first super star of Tamil cinema. Bhagavathar was born in the town of Mayiladuthurai in then Tanjore district of the Madras Presidency, British India. He started his career as a classical singer and stage artist in the late 1920s. In 1934, he made his début in films with the movie Pavalakkodi which turned out to be a hit. From 1934 to 1959, Bhagavathar acted in 14 films of whom 7 were box-office hits. Bhagavathar's 1944 film Haridas ran for three consecutive years at Broadway Theatre, Madras and created the record for the longest continuous run at a single theatre.
Filmography

	Title	Role	Notes
1934	Pavalakkodi	Arjuna
1936	Naveena Sarangadhara	Sarangadharan
1936	Sathyaseelan	Sathyaseelan	Also producer
1937	Chintamani	Bilwamangal
	Ambikapathy	Ambikapathy
1939	Thiruneelakantar	Thiruneelakanta Nayanar	Also producer
1941	Ashok Kumar	Gunalan
1943	Sivakavi	Poyyamozhi Pulavar/Ambalaththarasar
1944	Haridas	Haridas
1948	Raja Mukthi	Rajendravarman
1953	Amarakavi	Amarakavi
1953	Syamala
1957	Puthu Vazhvu	Vaikuntam	Also producer and director
1960	Sivagami	M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar	Cameo role Posthumous film