The sixties and seventies saw him at the height of stardom; as many as 35 of his movies were released in a year at one point.
Shooting schedules were chaotic experiences at best. People thronged to see this bubbly, enthusiastic guy with a razor-sharp tongue who wasn't above ridiculing himself.
What endeared him to his fans was that he was no dazzling movie-star who was miles out of their reach, but the guy next door who achieved his dream through sheer perseverance and talent.
K Balachander aided him a good deal by offering him character-oriented roles that managed to bring out the best of this unconventional actor.
Image: A scene from Server Sundaram
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