Viluppuram Chinnaiahpillai Ganesan Manrayar, commonly known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan, was an Indian stage and film actor active during the latter half of the 20th century. Well known for his versatility and acting skills with numerous roles depicted on screen, he remains one of the most respected stage and film actors in the history of Indian entertainment, with a career spanning close to five decades and nearly 300 films in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi to his credit. Arguably the preeminent leading man during the "Golden Age" of Tamil cinema, Ganesan was the first Indian film actor to win a "Best Actor" award at an international film festival, the Afro-Asian Film Festival held in Cairo, Egypt in 1960. He was also the first Indian actor to be made a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He won the President's Award for more than 12 times, and was later conferred the highest and the most prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his contribution to Indian cinema in 1997. An iconic figure in Tamil pop culture, his work has continued to enjoy an enduring, far-reaching influence in Tamil society in general.
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