Parasakthi (1952 Film) - Reception and Legacy

Reception and Legacy

Parasakthi was released on 17 October 1952, on Diwali day. Regarded as the first significant attempt by the Dravidian Movement to use media for propaganda, the film catapulted Ganesan to fame overnight and evoked comparisons with Hollywood actor Spencer Tracy. Ganesan's performance in the film's court scene was also very well received by audience, and was considered to have propelled him to stardom. The film took a very big opening and became an instant commercial success. It ran for over 175 days in several theatres, including the Madurai-based Thangam theatre, which was noted as Asia's largest theatre at the time, and Parasakthi was among the first films to be screened there. It later completed 200 days, becoming Ganesan's first "silver jubilee hit".

Parasakthi changed the character of Tamil cinema. Dialogue writing was given more importance than ever before. Speeches of the film replaced traditional music of artists like M. S. Subbulakshmi, K. B. Sundarambal and others at festivities. The film also had its share in giving the DMK the necessary stimulus to overthrow the Congress party in Tamil Nadu. The dialogues became so popular that "roadside entertainers used to recite long passages from the film in market area of Madras and collect money from bystanders", and memorising the film's dialogues became "a must for aspirant political orators". They were even released separately on gramaphone records. Ganesan's first dialogue in the film "Success" also became very popular, and a same-titled film starring his grandson Dushyant was released in 2003 to negative reception.

In celebration of the film's 50th year, Ganesan's autobiography titled Sivaji Ganesan: Autobiography of An Actor was released on 1 October 2002 in Tamil, exactly a year after the actor's death in 2001. The English version was released exactly five years later in 2007. Parasakthi is included with other Sivaji Ganesan-starrers in 8 Ulaga Adhisayam Sivaji, a compilation DVD featuring Ganesan's "iconic performances in the form of scenes, songs and stunts" which was released in May 2012. During the film's "diamond jubilee" year celebrations in January 2013, K. Chandrasekaran, the president of Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Social Welfare Association said, "Six decades down the line 'Parasakthi' is remembered because it is not just a film, but an epic".