Fondly known by the acronym MGR, Marudhur Gopalan Ramachandran was an iconic Indian actor who later became a prominent politician. He was the first popular Indian actor to serve as Chief Minister of an Indian state. MGR’s career began in films. Driven by a deep passion for acting, he joined a drama company and soon, in 1936, landed his first film role in Sathi Leelavathi, directed by Ellis R. Dungan. From then on, there was no looking back for this talented actor, who continued to refine and perfect his craft over time. During his film career, MGR befriended C.N. Annadurai, a prominent leader of the Dravidian movement. Annadurai had a profound influence on MGR, who regarded him as his mentor. Inspired by this association, MGR ventured into politics and joined Annadurai’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), a Dravidian political party. After Annadurai's death, the DMK came under the leadership of M. Karunanidhi. Disagreements with Karunanidhi’s leadership prompted MGR to form his own political party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which was initially called the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK). MGR served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from 1977, until his death in 1987. As Chief Minister, MGR implemented numerous social welfare and economic growth initiatives. He introduced significant educational reforms, upgraded the free meal scheme for schoolchildren, banned liquor, and worked to preserve Tamil Nadu's cultural heritage, boosting tourism in the state.