Ninety-seven-year-old veteran film producer and politician R.M Veerappan, fondly known as RMV, passed away due to age-related ailments at Apollo Hospitals in Chennai on April 9. RMV, who spearheaded the formation of late actor M.G. Ramachandran’s (MGR) party – the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), is survived by three daughters and three sons.
In an illustrious public career spanning over fifty years, RMV was pivotal in shaping MGR’s acting career as well his rise in Dravidian politics. After MGR’s demise in 1987, he was the driving force behind the 23-day chief-ministerial stint of MGR’s widow Janaki, before reconciling with AIADMK’s then-general secretary J Jayalalithaa to keep the party unified. He also served in her cabinet from 1991-95 before splitting away from AIADMK to form the MGR Kazhagam – which supported the DMK in the 2004 elections.
As a successful producer RMV is credited for some landmark films in the careers of Tamil cinema legends Rajinikanth, Kamal Hassan and their mentor K. Balachander.
