Cho Ramaswamy

Cho Ramaswamy
Born	October 5, 1934 (1934-10-05) (age 77) Mylapore, madras presidency, British India
Occupation	Actor, politician, journalist, lawyer
Family	Father: R. Srinivasa Iyer Mother: Rajammal
Notable credit(s)	Thuglak

Srinivasa Iyer Ramaswamy, also known as Cho Ramaswamy (Tamil: சோ ராமசாமி, born October 5, 1934) is a comedian, playwright, lawyer and columnist in Tamil Nadu, India. He is the editor of the popular Tamil magazine Thuglak. Cho, as he is popularly known is well known for his witty take on Indian and Tamil Nadu politics.

Career

Ramaswamy started the magazine Thuglak in 1970. Based on the political satire of the ruling State and the central governments, Thuglak today is a weekly magazine.

Ramaswamy used political satire to convey his message to the masses through his plays. Mohammed Bin Thuglak is perhaps his most famous political satire and same was staged for more than 1000 times to packed halls and auditorium. In this play Ramaswamy aims to bring out what he sees as the hypocrisy and duplicity of politicians. The soundtrack of the play was played throughout Tamilnadu by the congress party in its campaign against Congress. Almost every other play of Ramaswamy aims to bring out human hypocrisy in a satirical manner. In this sense Ramaswamy followed in the footsteps of Bernard Shaw.

In his journalism, Ramaswamy was critical of the Emergency decree of Indira Gandhi. He was also critical of the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh over his attitude towards Pakistan, and was critical of the LTTE in the face of threat to his life^{[citation needed]}. Perhaps he is one of the very few Indian journalists who took a bold stand for Israel in its war against Arab inspired terrorism.

CHO Ramaswamy played a significant role in bringing an alliance between Vijaykant and Jayalalitha.^{[citation needed]} He made a plea to the electorate of Tamilnadu to vote for the Jayalalitha's alliance which was telecast repeatedly in the Jaya TV.

Criticism

Some^[who?] used to criticize Ramaswamy as non-neutral journalist with no proof.

He was instrumental in having an alliance between TMC (Tamil Maanila Congress) and DMK during 1996, as he criticized the AIADMK Supremo J.Jayalalithaa , the then chief Minister of Tamil Nadu during 1991-96.^{[citation needed]} On the other hand, in 2011 elections, because of exorbitant and unprecedented scam (2G) and family Raj of M.Karunanidhi, he advocated AIADMK is the only feasible alternative to avoid vote split.^{[citation needed]}

When a video was released showing Vijayakanth beating up his party candidate in full public view, Ramaswamy made very light of it and found no fault in it and further commented that the people will not take it 'seriously'.^[1]

Bibliography

Plays

1. Muhammad bin Tughluq
2. Yaarukkum Vetkamillai
3. Saathiram Sonnadhillai
4. Nermai Urangum Neram
5. Iraivan Irandhuvittana ?
6. Enru Thaniyum Inda Sudandira Thaagam ?
7. Judgement Reserved
8. Quo Vadis
9. Unmayae Unn Villai Ennae?
10. Saraswathiyin Selvan
11. Unmai Urangum Neram
12. Madras by Night

Movies Acted

1. Guru sishyan
2. Adhisayappiravi
3. Aarilirundhu Aruvadhuvarai
4. Adutha vaarisu
5. Manithan
6. Kazhugu
7. Kaadhalaa Kaadhalaa
8. Then Mazhai
9. Nirai Kudam
10. Galaattaa Kalyaanam
11. Muhammad bin Tughluq
12. En Annan
13. Maattukaaravelan
14. Pommalaattam
15. Engal Thangam
16. Aayiram Poi
17. Neelagiri Express
18. Paar Magale Paar
19. Thanga Pathakkam
20. Mr.Sampath
21. Unmaye un vilai enna
22. Thanikudithanam
23. Vandhaale Maharaasi
24. Suryakaanthi
25. Gowravam
26. Ninaivil Nindraval
27. Then Kinnam
28. Anand
29. Moonrezuthu

Religious Works

1. Hindu Maha Samudram Vol - I, II, III, IV, V, and VI (Latest)
2. Mahabaratham Pesugirathu
3. Valmiki Ramayanam
4. Verukathagada Bramaniyam
5. Nane Raja

Other Noteworthy Works

1. Engey Brahmanan?
2. Verukatthakkatha Brahmaneeyam ?
3. Sambavami Yuge Yuge
4. Vande Mataram
5. Ivargalai therindhu kollungal
6. Washington il Nallathambi
7. Sarakar Pugunda Veedu
8. Koovam nadikaraiyinile
9. Adhigaprasangam
10. yaro ivar yaro ?
11. Saadhal Ellaiyel Kaadhal
12. Mydear BrahmaDeva
13. India Enge Pogiradhu ?
14. Kamarajarai sandhitthen
15. Puratchi Geethai
16. Sattam Thalai Guniyattum
17. Enge Pogirai ?
18. Enbak kana Onru Kandaen
19. Saraswathi Sabatham
20. Manam Oru Kurangu
21. En koodathu ?
22. Eravil Chennai
23. Uravugal Ellaiyadi Pappa
24. Edarkaga ?
25. Thiraiyulagathai Thirumbi Parkiraen
26. Unmayae Unn Villai Ennae?
27. Brahmanan Oru Madayan
28. Janatha Nagar Colony

Nomination to Rajya Sabha

He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the then President of India, K. R. Narayanan. In the Rajya Sabha 12 M.P.s are nominated by the President of India from amongst persons who have special knowledge or practical experience in the fields of literature, science, art or social service. He served as a Rajya Sabha MP from November 1999 to November 2005.

Trivia

• When asked how he would describe himself on the Tamil TV show Koffee with Anu, Cho wittingly replied, "I am a man in search of an identity. I fit nowhere!" ^[2]
• In a stage play directed by K. Balachander, Cho supposedly delivered a joke on stage during a dramatic scene, that irritated Balachander, who refused to direct any plays with Cho thereafter.^[3]
• Following Sanjay Gandhi's death, Cho released stamps in memory of a man called Saxena, who he claimed had also died in the air crash. The postal departments funnily failed to realize that these stamps were not official and mistakenly approved them.^[4]
• Cho played the role of a bike mechanic in a play "Petral dhaan Pillaya" written by Pattu of the United Amateur Artistes (UAA), which became a huge success. When the play was later adapted into a film by director A. Bhimsingh, Sivaji Ganesan persuaded Cho to play the same role in the film too, leading to Cho's entry into the film world.^[5]
• With regard to body fitness, when his friends ask him "Don't you go walking?", Cho would respond, "No, I go talking" ^[6]

References

• The Hindu
• Strawman of Tamil Politics, TruthDive
• Tribune India
• Rediff
• Rajya Sabha - Biography
• HarmonyIndia
• You Tube Video
• [2]
• [3]

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ Cho interview on Koffee with Anu
3. ^ Cho interview on Koffee with Anu
4. ^ Cho interview on Koffee with Anu
5. ^ Cho interview on Koffee with Anu
6. ^ Cho interview on Koffee with Anu

External links

• Audio of Cho Ramaswamy on Mrs. Pratibha Patil, prior to the Indian Presidential elections where Mrs. Patil was a candidate, in Tamil, 13 July 2007

Persondata
Name	Ramaswamy, Cho
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	October 5, 1934
Place of birth	Mylapore, Chennai, India
Date of death
Place of death