On July 21, 2001, Sivaji Ganesan, beloved actor and cultural icon, passed away in his home in Chennai, India at the age of 72. Born in 1928 to Chinnaswami Subramaniam and Sivagami in Tamil Nadu, Ganesan pursued an interest in drama while working in Salem, and soon afterwards began his pioneering career in Tamil cinema. His iconic performances in over 300 movies captivated generations of fans. Ganesan’s tour de force performances in social epics like Parashakti, adaptation of classics like Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and roles in modern blockbusters like Thillana Mohanambal established him as an unmatched cultural icon of Tamil cinema. Widely credited with ushering in a new understanding of the art of Tamil cinema, his films and performances earned him ten National Film Awards, dozens of Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, and placed him in the Guinness World Records for the most public appearances by a film star in the world. The impact and legacy of Ganesan’s illustrious career will live on through the generations, and will be remembered for years to come.