Tamil filmmaker Mani Ratnam’s latest epic period drama ‘Ponniyin Selvan I’ is an adaptation of the hugely popular novel of the same name written by Kalki Krishnamurthy. The book, which is based on historical events and characters from the 10th Century Chola kingdom, was published in 1955. Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus will hit the theatres on September 30.

Ramaswamy Krishnamurthy, who is better known by his pen name Kalki, was a formidable literary figure in South India. He donned several hats, including that of an author, journalist, activist, poet and playwright in the 1930s and 40s.

In his career, the Sahitya Akademi awardee penned five novels, 10 novellas and 120 short stories.

However, his most prominent historical fiction was ‘Ponniyan Selvan’, a novel that glorified one of the longest ruling dynasties of the world – the Cholas.

Kalki in prison

Kalki was born on September 9, 1899, in a small village called Pattamangalam in Mayiladuthurai district of Tamil Nadu. His father worked as an accountant in the village. Ramaswamy did his primary education at the village school and joined the municipal high school in Mayavaram. However, he dropped out of school in 1921 to join the Non-Cooperation Movement, The Print reported quoting his granddaughter, Gowri Ramnarayan, a playwright, theatre director and former journalist, as saying. He was imprisoned at least thrice during the struggle for freedom.

He was later mentored by C Rajagopalachari, who was the last Governor-General of India.

Kalki wrote a book on his term of rigorous imprisonment titled, ‘Moondru Matha Kadunkaval’, in which he narrated the difficulties in prison with sarcasm.

According to his daughter K Anandhi, Kalki and the other freedom fighters never spoke of their sacrifices as something great. “Their lives were very simple and they had a sense of fulfilment in their lives,” Anandhi said.

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His literary works

Kalki started working as a sub-editor of the Tamil periodical Navasakthi. He published his first short story ‘Saradhaiyin Thanthiram’ in 1927. He wrote about the Pallava kings in his famous popular novels ‘Savigamiyin Sapatham’ and ‘Parthiban Kanavu’. He took three years to finish the novel ‘Ponniyin Selvan’. His novel ‘Solaimalai Ilavarasi’, published in 1947, talks about the Independence of India.

Kalki is also said to have translated Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography ‘My Experiments with Truth’ into Tamil.

For some time Kalki contributed to the Tamil weekly Ananda Vikatan. He later launched the eponymous magazine in 1941. Kalki’s magazine, at one point, used to have a weekly circulation of 71,366 copies in newly independent India.

He used the pseudonym Kalki, which is the name of Lord Vishnu’s final avatar, as he was determined to “destroy regressive regimes, express radical thoughts, take readers into new directions, and create a new era!” the book Kalki Krishnamurthy, his life and times, revealed.

Music critic

Kalki was also a music critic who helped propel the Tamil Isai movement along with legendary vocalist MS Subbulakshmi. The movement sought to promote Carnatic musical compositions which were at that time restricted to languages like Telugu and Sanskrit.

Kalki died of tuberculosis on December 5, 1954, aged 55.

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