
The film became an instant commercial success, running for over 175 days in several theatres, and ran for over 50 days in all the 62 centres it was released, and at the Sri Lanka-based Mailan Theatre, it ran for nearly 40 weeks. Ganesan made his acting debut in the 1952 Tamil film Parasakthi, which was directed by the Krishnan–Panju duo and co-starred actress Pandari Bai. The male lead cast of Parasakthi, left to right: SV Sahasranamam, Sivaji Ganesan and SS Rajendran Since then, he was referred to by the name of "Sivaji". His portrayal of Shivaji in the stage play Shivaji Kanda Hindu Rajyam earned him the monicker "Sivaji", which was conferred on him at a public function presided over by social reformer Periyar. The group favoured Ganesan to play the lead and he would continue to do so. Ganesan exhibited the ability to remember lengthy lines easily.

He was trained in Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Manipuri dance forms.

From the drama troupe trainers, he was fortunate enough to learn acting and dancing. At the age of 10, he moved to Tiruchirappalli and joined a drama troupe in Sangiliyandapuram and began to perform in stage plays. Without his father's consent, Ganesan decided to join a touring stage drama company at the age of seven. Media outlets said that the initial 'V' stood for Villupuram, though one of Ganesan's sons stated that it stands for Vettaithidal, a village from which their family originates. Early in his career, Ganesan acted under the name V. Ganesan was born on 1 October 1928, as the fourth son of Chinnaiya Manrayar and Rajamani Ammal in Villupuram, India.

Chinnaiya Manrayar Ganesamoorthy, better known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan, (1 October 1928 – 21 July 2001) was an Indian actor and producer. Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Chevalier) (1995).
