A life size bronze statue of Tamil thespian late Sivaji Ganesan was unveiled by Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers MK Alagiri in Madurai.
Paying rich tributes to the actor at a function on Sunday night, Alagiri said Sivaji's uniqueness was his ability to transform himself into the character portrayed by him.
Recalling the close relationship between Sivaji and his father and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, Alagiri and said it was Karunanidhi along with Krishnan-Panju and Perumal convinced film producer AVM Meyyappachettiar and made him the hero in his first picture Parasakthi way back in 1952.
Actor Kamal Haasan said Sivaji taught him simplicity and added that he laid down the grammar for acting.
Sivaji's son and actor Prabhu said Kamal Haasan was the "heir of Sivaji in the field of acting".