In 1999, he was instrumental in bringing the DMK together in an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party. He started involving in direct politics as mediator. PoliticsĬho has been described as a right-wing public intellectual in tributes.Cho was publicly opposed to Sri Lankan Tamil militants, particularly the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), at a time when Sri lanka's ethnic crisis was at its peak and almost all political parties in Tamil Nadu highlighted the issue of the Sri Lankan Tamils.The rise of the BJP and Hindutva forces made Cho as their sympathiser. When Jayalalithaa got into power and followed in MGR's path, however, the absence of ideology of the party was no longer an issue for him.On 25 January 2017, the Government of India announced a posthumous Padma Bhushan award for his contribution towards Literature & Education – Journalism. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), in his opinion, was populist and lacked ideology. In his last years, he predicted that Narendra Modi would "win laurels for India" in the future, and also praised Jayalalithaa for her administration of Tamil Nadu.Ĭho enjoyed challenging MG Ramachandran (MGR) and his politics, while Karunanidhi stayed his target. Chidambaram were targets of his editorial attacks. Advani, Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and P. Ramachandran, Jayalalithaa, Ramakrishna Hegde, N.
Kripalani, Indira Gandhi, Karunanidhi, Chandra Shekhar, G. He was the founder and editor of the Tamil magazine Thuglak.
Among these, Yaarukkum Vetkamillai was directed by Cho in 1976. Cho has acted with Jayalalitha in other films like Bommalaattam, Galaattaak kalyanam, Suryagandhi, Vandhaale Maharaasi and Anbai Thedi.Ĭho has acted with Sivakumar in films like Shanmugapriya, Onne Onnu Kanne Kannu, Thaip Paasam, Uravu Solla Oruvan, Aan Pillai Singam, Yaarukkum Vetkamillai, Chinna Kuyil Padudhu, Sattai Illatha Pambaram and Kanna Thorakiran Samy. Cho has acted with MGR in many films like Petralthaan Pillaiya, Sangey Muzhangu, Rickshawkaaran and Thalaivan. He was paired opposite Sachu in films like Deva Sankalpam, Galaataa Kalyanam and Delhi Mappilai.Ĭho has acted with the MGR–Jayalalitha combo in films like Oli Villaku, Kanavan, Kumarikottam, Mattukara Velan, Aadimai Penn, Engal Thangam, Thedi Vantha Mapillai, En Annan and Neerum Nerupum. Ramaswamy, Nagesh, Manorama and Sachu in many films brought out the best in him.Ĭho and Manorama were paired together in 20 films, which included Malligaip poo, Annaiyum pithavum, Dharisanam, Anbait thedi, Ninaivil Nindraval, Nirai Kudam, Therottam, Aayiram Poi, Mohammed Bin Tughlaq, Bommalattam, Pugundha Veedu, Vilayaattu Pillai, Kanavan, Rojavin Raja and Velum Mayilum Thunai and were pitted in a non-couple role in Suryagandhi, Delhi Mappilai and Naadagame Ulagam.Ĭho acted alongside Nagesh in Thenmazhai, Ninaivil Nindraval, Ulagam Ivvalavudhaan and Bommalattam among others. Radha, or many times with actors like V.K. Balaiah in Manam Oru Kurangu, or with M.R. Frequent collaborationsĬho as an actor has been pitted against other actors across generations. Cho and Jayalalithaa have worked together in 19 films and also had been part of the same drama troupe. Bhimsingh, Sivaji Ganesan persuaded Cho to play the same role in the film too, leading to Cho's entry into the film world. When the play was later adapted into a film by director A. Apart from being an actor, he was both the screenplay and story writer of films such as Thenmazhai, Ninaivil Nindraval, Bommalattam, Aayiram Poi and Panam Paththum Seyyum, all of which proved to be box office hits.Cho played the role of a bike mechanic in the play Petralthan Pillaiya, written by Pattu of the United Amateur Artistes (UAA), which became a huge success. He also wrote and directed 20 plays.He also wrote and acted in 27 Television serials. From 1963 to 2005 he acted in 180 Tamil films and directed 5 films. Film careerĬho made his debut in 1963 with Paar Magale Paar as a comedian. The name 'Cho' was the name of the character he played in a Tamil play written by Bhageerathan titled Thenmozhiyaal. He has two children Sriram Ramaswamy and Sindhuja. Srinivasa Iyer and Rajammal, Cho had a younger brother, who was also an actor. Born in a Brahmin family of lawyers Family Srinivasa Iyer Ramaswamy was fondly addressed and remembered as Cho.
He was a popular comedian in the 1960s and 70s, and had acted with all the top stars in that period. Srinivasa Iyer Ramaswamy, better known as Cho Ramaswamy (5 October 1934 – 7 December 2016), was an Indian actor, comedian, character actor, editor, political satirist, playwright, dialogue writer, film director and lawyer from Tamil Nadu.