Sandow Marudur Marudachalamurthy Ayyavoo Chinnappa Thevar (28 June 1915 – 8 September 1978) was a film producer ofTamil cinema in the mid-1950s through the 1960s and 1970s. He is best known for his films featuring animals, and has produced numerous movies withM. G. Ramachandran as lead actor (16 movies with under his famous banner:Thevar Films).

He launched all his movies under theDevar Films, which also produced theRajesh Khanna'sBollywood hitHaathi Mere Saathi (1971) in which he achieved national fame andDhandayupathi Films banner.^[1]

The title of "Sandow" was given to Chinnappa Thevar in tribute to the bodybuilderEugen Sandow and because of his impressive muscles.

M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar was born inRamanathapuram locality inCoimbatore to Ayyavoo Thevar and Ramakkal. He has one elder brother named Subbiah Thevar and three younger brothers named Nataraja Thevar, Arumugam (M. A. Thirumugam) and Mariappan. His father was an agriculturist.^[2]

Chinnappa thevar studied only till 5th grade due to financial reasons. During his youth in the 1930s, he joined in Pankaja mill for a salary of Rs.9 and started his earnings. He later worked in Stanes motor company for few years. He also earned through milk production, rice shop and soda production.

From a very young age he was interested in gymnasium. He started "Veera Maruthi Deha Payirchi saalai" with his friends in Ramanathapuram area. To join the film industry, he mastered various martial arts and improved his physique.

He and his brother first acted in the 1940 film Thilottama. It was a fight sequence where only their shadows were filmed. Devar earned the title ‘Sandow’ because of his physique and fighting skills.^[3]

He had started playing small roles in films that were shot inCentral Studios, Coimbatore, until he was chosen byJupiter Pictures^[4] for villain role in the 1947 movieRajakumari with a then relatively unknown lead actorM. G. Ramachandran with whom he formed a deep friendship. In the film Mohini (1948) there was a scene taken in forest, where the character played by M.G.Ramachandran rushes to rescue a family travelling in a bullock-cart from being robbed by a gang and the main robbers role was played by M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar as the main robber.^[5]

Chinnappa thevar developed a deep friendship withM. G. Ramachandran. MGR too apparently recommended Devar in the films he worked. This went on till 1956 when Devar started his own production company Devar Films, and asked MGR to be the hero. MGR agreed, and they made Thaikkupin Thaaram. The film was a success, and launched Devar as a filmmaker.

He later during moved toChennai in the early 1950s, which by then became the South Indian Cinema Hub. He launched his production company the famous "Devar Films" and used the facilities ofVijaya Vauhini Studios for indoor shooting and post production activities.

He is best known for variousM. G. Ramachandran movies and introducedSaroja Devi to Tamil Movies who became a celluloid queen.

When MGR became busy with his own production Nadodi Mannan, Devar was forced to make a few other movies.

In 1960, he started to record the music forThaai Sollai Thattadhe and cast Ashokan as the hero. When the recording was over, MGR heard the songs and wanted the story to be narrated. Apparently, after this there was a promise between them that MGR will adhere to all of Devar's conditions and, in return, Devar would make films only with him and no other ‘big’ hero. This ‘agreement’ led to Devar making 16 films with MGR, the last being Nalla Neram in 1972, the Tamil remake ofHaathi Mere Saathi.

Despite working with MGR on several films, he never got a chance to work withSivaji Ganesan. He once mentioned that he didn't have right story for Mr. Ganesan.^[6]

Devar is also known for using animals as a supporting theme in his movies, and at times as the lead character. His brother M. A. Thirumugam was also a successful director was worked predominantly for "Devar Films" production company.

Together the duo gaveRajesh Khanna's biggest blockbuster hitHaathi Mere Saathi, which also introduced theSalim–Javed duo as script writers toBollywood.

In Tamil film industry he was one of the most successful movie producers and his two recurring subjects were his animals and devotional movies, as he was an ardent devotee of LordMurugan.

In his later years with MGR getting more and more into active politics, Devar started to make films in the Socio –mythological Genre. They were films set in modern times with the Central theme that faith and belief in God will solve one's problems.^[1]

Chinnapa thevar also planned to make movies withRajinikanth who was rising popular at that time. Rajini worked on the movieThai Meethu Sathiyam under the Devar Films banner directed by Thevar's son-in-law R.R. Thyagarajan. While shooting for the movie, Chinnapa thevar fell ill and died couple of days later.

Thevar operated two companies: Thevar Films (also spelt Devar) and Dhandayuthapani Films. Films produced by Thevar Films usually had M. G. Ramachandran starring andK. V. Mahadevan composing the music. Dhandayuthapani Films was founded to make smaller budget films that did not star Ramachandran but newcomers or less experienced actors.^[7][8]

Chinnapa Thevar married Mari Muthammal at an early age of 21 by 1936. The couple has one son, Dhandayuthapani, and two daughters, Subbulakshmi and Jagadeeshwari. His elder daughter Subbulakshmi marriedR. Thyagarajan, who became a director later. Vellikizhamai Viratham (1974) andAattukara Alamelu(1977) are a couple of famous films to his credit.

Chinnapa Thevar practiced Hindu religion and was an ardent devotee forLord Muruga. Once Income Tax officials raided his house and was astonished to find so many Viboothi packets of Murugan temples, but no cash. Any profit from the movie he splits into four parts. The first part was given to Murugan temples as he believed that all of his success was because ofLord Muruga. Because of this many Murugan temples likePazhani temple, Tiruchendur temple andMarudhamalai temple were benefited. The second part he kept for himself. The third part is for his old friends who supported him during his early days who collected few thousands and sent him toMadras for film making. The fourth and final part he gave to the needy people.

On 6 September 1978, during the shooting of the filmThai Meethu Sathiyam atOoty, Devar complained of chest pain, since he had high blood pressure^[2] he was advised by the doctors in Ooty to get admitted in hospital, he was soon brought in his car from Ooty to Coimbatore. He was admitted in a private hospital upon arrival. After treatment he recovered partially, but again got chest pain on 8 September 1978 and died by 10 a.m morning in spite of intense treatment. He was 63 when he died.^[6]

The day of his demise was a ‘Shashti’ day, very special to Lord Muruga.

Thevar's body was brought from hospital to hisRamanathapuram, Coimbatore residence and kept for public to pay their last respect.M.G.R, who had a long-term association with Thevar not only paid rich tribute to Chinnapa Thevar but also came to Coimbatore for his funeral. Several eminent personalities likeRajinikanthJaishankar attended Thevar's funeral.

Films produced by Thevar

Films produced after the death of Thevar [By his Son-in-law Sri. R. Thyagarjan B.Sc]

• Randoor Guys article in -The Hindu
• Mohan V Raman article in -The Hindu

• Article on Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar in Kalyana Malai
• Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar in My Movie Minutes
• Sandow and Superstars in -The Hindu

• Tamil film producers
• 1915 births
• 1978 deaths

• CS1 Tamil-language sources (ta)
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use dmy dates from August 2020
• Use Indian English from August 2020
• All Wikipedia articles written in Indian English
• Articles with hCards