The Tamil Nadu government recently announced that Kalaignar Kalaithurai Vithagar Award will be conferred on lifetime achievers of Tamil cinema. A selection committee has been formed to name the achievers. The committee includes veteran actor Nassar, who has penned a heartfelt letter thanking Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin.
Nassar wrote that on behalf of the Tamil Nadu public, he thanks the esteemed chief minister M.K. Stalin for the good deeds they have done. According to Nassar, the most important idea behind Tamil cinema was to adapt literary works to the silver screen. Nassar further wrote that Tamil cinema emphasised taking ideas of social reform to people.
Nassar thanked the government for announcing a cash prize of Rs 10 lakhs and a memento for artists winning the Kalaignar Kalaithurai Vithagar Award. According to Nassar, artists don’t care much about materialistic pleasures. Awards are meant for recognition and appreciation in the community, Nassar wrote.
Nassar ended the letter by setting up a committee and including him in it as a member. Nassar wrote that he will perform this task with chief minister M.K. Stalin’s blessings.
The award ceremony will be held on June 3. The reason behind choosing this specific date is that CM M.K. Stalin’s birthday falls on the same date. Filmmaker S.P. Muthuraman will be the chairman of this committee. Filmmaker and actor Karu Palaniappan is also a member of this committee.
A Government Order was issued to give effect to this appointment. For those who don’t know, S.P Muthuraman has directed films like Raja Chinna Roja, Pandian and others. Karu Palaniappan has been seen as an actor in films like Kallan, Natpe Thunai and others. He has also directed Paandiya Vamsam.
Kalaignar Kalaithurai Vithagar Award is named after late DMK leader and former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. The announcement to honour achievers of Tamil cinema with this award was made by M.P. Saminathan, minister of Information and Publicity. This announcement was done in the state assembly during the recently completed assembly session.
