Autobiography of an Actor - Sivaji Ganesan

This book is a journey of Sivaji Ganesan, depicting various facets of his life and flowing with his early days unto his later years. The book starts with the brief of rich family lineage of the actor, set out in a background of pre-independence day. With a revolutionist father, who values the needs of the nation more than the family, his mother is left to fight for survival. The actor child definitely gets affected by this environment and through a "Therru_kuthu" which was a major way of funneling public opinion lands up in a drama troupe. He takes us through the various stages of his acting career, pre cinema and post cinema.
The days of his pre-cinema also coincides with the Dravidian movement, social movement and he comes under the shadow of great personalities. Even while showering his appreciation for the personalities and their thoughts the actor in him always raised high, from where he derived the meaning of living. This was evident also when he decided to stay put with acting and could not attend the last rites of his own brothers.
The days of his post cinema sees his meteoric rise as an actor par excellence. He narrates his close relation with the then contemporaries, who used him to achieve their political milieage.While he indicates that he was duped by people, he never blames a person in particular. He is also drawn into controversy and finds solace in the shadow of political leader"Kamaraj".He also touches on his family, favorite movies and co actors.
The book seems more to be an attempt from the near and dears of Sivaji convincing him to come out with an Autobiography. The book is written on a question and answer mode and author knows the actor well. A question and answer mode is very effective way and generates lots of audience interest.
The book attempts to note that Sivaji has always tried to avoid the various controversies which surrounded him. The fact that cinema was used as a medium by politicians in Tamilnadu to convey political message, an eminent actor like him was also not spared when he tried to stay aloof from him. This forced him to enter politics which he himself accepts as a bad attempt from his part. This book also shows his patriotic fervor. While he was moved by the likes of great atheist leader, Sivaji has summed up his God fearing nature. This book also portrays his generousness when he believes in something.
This book is a must read and will provide the readers with not only the growth of the south Indian cinema from its early days but also would provide the political climate of those days.