Show me your friend and I will tell you who you are....goes the popular saying. While the world is busy speculating the friendship between Jayalalithaa and Sasikala's and weaving conspiracy theories around Jaya's ailing health and firewall Sasi, my friend Vijay came up with fascinating parallels between them and how their lives share uncanny resemblance. This is something Author Vaasanthi hasn't covered in her book Amma: Jayalalithaa's Journey from movie star to political queen.
Both Jaya and Sasi began their lives as unknown people. If MGR changed Jaya's life from an ordinary movie star to a Rajya Sabha member and later controlling the destiny of AIADMK, Jaya changed Sasi's life from a video store owner to a close confidante to owner of Luxe Cinemas. In short, both their lives changed when they met a mega star.
Trust and change doesn't happen overnight. Both Jaya and Sasi develop a strong bond with celebrity, who sways them over. MGR made Jaya his public relations person before handing over the baton to her, and Jaya invites Sasi to live with her, who has eventually turned into a firewall guarding her from the world. This reminds me of the Thamizh proverb, "Yerumbu ora ora kallum karayum".
There were strong pressures from well-wishers and advisers on both sides to break off the association. RM Veerappan admonished MGR to stay away from Jaya and Cho Ramaswamy advised Jaya to throw Sasi out of her house. Well before these people, Thiruvallur named the 83rd chapter of Thirukural as Kooda Natpu and came up with 10 couplets defining the characteristics of bad friendships.
Though satellites escape gravity, the relationship between Jaya and MGR and Sasi and Jaya was always under scrutiny and criticism. Larger society questioned the nature of relationship between MGR and Jaya as she tiptoed him from cinema to politics. Similarly, Sasi walked away from her husband without formally taking a divorce and moved in with Jaya. After 25 years of association, both of them exchange garlands 8-years ago on the occasion of Jaya turning 60 making tongues wag. Both relationships were socially unconventional that always remained mysterious to the public at large and openly criticized by the opposition.
When summer heat takes over, people remind themselves of the soon arriving cooler autumn. Like seasons in nature both MGR and Jaya's relationship saw many springs and autumns. MGR distanced himself many at times from Jaya, the first summer was when he started a party, but again cozied up to her setting aside their differences and making her cynosure of all eyes. A few years ago, Jaya did the same by pushing Sasi and her coterie out of Vedha Illam, but then a few months later she recalled her into her life.
Both Jaya and Sasi are seen as power centers, who influenced decision of the celebrity. Jaya is believed to have instigated MGR after their vacation in Nepal to come out of DMK and start his own party. Sasi and her Mannargudi coterie always made decisions on awarding high value contracts in the state and ensured they received their due share in all major industrial deals.
When their respective leaders were alive, both Jaya and Sasi stayed in their shadow and was never anointed as their successor, though the world looked at them as successors. While the whole state was mesmerized by MGR, he was at Jaya's feet. Now, the whole state is charmed by Amma but she is shaking her head to Sasi.
Finally, when MGR passed away weary Jayalalithaa stood besides draped in white symbolically sending out a message. With MGR's family abusing her to get off the hearse van, Jaya stuck to her position withstood the humiliation because she realized it was a brilliant photo and political opportunity and a stepping stone to the throne. Eventually, she seized control of his party, appointed herself as his successor and earned "Amma" tag for the cadre.
Today, whole of India is waiting to get access to ailing Jayalalithaa and her medical reports, but her dear friend Sasikala remains an impenetrable firewall between Jayalalitha and rest of India. Will she follow the footsteps of Jaya and take over the reins of AIADMK and what will happen to Jaya's wealth is to be seen.
Both Jaya and Sasi began their lives as unknown people. If MGR changed Jaya's life from an ordinary movie star to a Rajya Sabha member and later controlling the destiny of AIADMK, Jaya changed Sasi's life from a video store owner to a close confidante to owner of Luxe Cinemas. In short, both their lives changed when they met a mega star.
Trust and change doesn't happen overnight. Both Jaya and Sasi develop a strong bond with celebrity, who sways them over. MGR made Jaya his public relations person before handing over the baton to her, and Jaya invites Sasi to live with her, who has eventually turned into a firewall guarding her from the world. This reminds me of the Thamizh proverb, "Yerumbu ora ora kallum karayum".
There were strong pressures from well-wishers and advisers on both sides to break off the association. RM Veerappan admonished MGR to stay away from Jaya and Cho Ramaswamy advised Jaya to throw Sasi out of her house. Well before these people, Thiruvallur named the 83rd chapter of Thirukural as Kooda Natpu and came up with 10 couplets defining the characteristics of bad friendships.
Though satellites escape gravity, the relationship between Jaya and MGR and Sasi and Jaya was always under scrutiny and criticism. Larger society questioned the nature of relationship between MGR and Jaya as she tiptoed him from cinema to politics. Similarly, Sasi walked away from her husband without formally taking a divorce and moved in with Jaya. After 25 years of association, both of them exchange garlands 8-years ago on the occasion of Jaya turning 60 making tongues wag. Both relationships were socially unconventional that always remained mysterious to the public at large and openly criticized by the opposition.
When summer heat takes over, people remind themselves of the soon arriving cooler autumn. Like seasons in nature both MGR and Jaya's relationship saw many springs and autumns. MGR distanced himself many at times from Jaya, the first summer was when he started a party, but again cozied up to her setting aside their differences and making her cynosure of all eyes. A few years ago, Jaya did the same by pushing Sasi and her coterie out of Vedha Illam, but then a few months later she recalled her into her life.
Both Jaya and Sasi are seen as power centers, who influenced decision of the celebrity. Jaya is believed to have instigated MGR after their vacation in Nepal to come out of DMK and start his own party. Sasi and her Mannargudi coterie always made decisions on awarding high value contracts in the state and ensured they received their due share in all major industrial deals.
When their respective leaders were alive, both Jaya and Sasi stayed in their shadow and was never anointed as their successor, though the world looked at them as successors. While the whole state was mesmerized by MGR, he was at Jaya's feet. Now, the whole state is charmed by Amma but she is shaking her head to Sasi.
Finally, when MGR passed away weary Jayalalithaa stood besides draped in white symbolically sending out a message. With MGR's family abusing her to get off the hearse van, Jaya stuck to her position withstood the humiliation because she realized it was a brilliant photo and political opportunity and a stepping stone to the throne. Eventually, she seized control of his party, appointed herself as his successor and earned "Amma" tag for the cadre.
Today, whole of India is waiting to get access to ailing Jayalalithaa and her medical reports, but her dear friend Sasikala remains an impenetrable firewall between Jayalalitha and rest of India. Will she follow the footsteps of Jaya and take over the reins of AIADMK and what will happen to Jaya's wealth is to be seen.
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