Satire and quick repartee was Cho Ramaswamy's forte

The legendary Cho, as he was fondly addressed, was unflinching in his stands on issues and spared no politician from criticism and never minced words while making a point.

Chennai, Dec 7 A multi-faceted personality who left his imprint in the fields of journalism, theatre and cinema, Cho Ramaswamy was a name to reckon with in Tamil Nadu, with satire and quick repartee being his forte.

The legendary Cho, as he was fondly addressed, was unflinching in his stands on issues and spared no politician from criticism and never minced words while making a point.

Cho moved with political stalwarts with absolute ease but still would never shy away from making a point against them, whenever warranted.

However, he was a master in drawing the line, keeping politics and other differences out of personal life, making him a much respected and even endearing personality among political leaders, ranging from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tamil Nadu stalwarts like M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa.

A lawyer by profession, Cho was a popular name in theatre, cinema and journalism. During Emergency, he had resisted the establishment.

In his ultimate onscreen satire, as it is considered till date, Cho wrote and acted in the titular role of the film 'Mohammed Bin Thuglaq,' (1971) an unabashed take on the prevailing political situation of those times. Cho's sharp dialogue and critical portrayal of issues left a mark in Tamil cinema.

He was featured more in comedy roles, but occasionally played serious characters too. He had acted in a number of films, including those of matinee idols M G Ramachandran and Sivaji Ganesan, besides Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan.

In his film roles, the actor would seldom let go of an opportunity for a humorous take on politics, using a particular scene to his advantage.

His well-timed jokes and witty takes on politics often left the audience in splits.

PTI