Google Doodle - Sivaji Ganesan's 93rd Birthday

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Google Doodle: Sivaji Ganesan

Illustration, Design & Typography

2021

I was commissioned by Google to create a Google Doodle celebrating and reminiscing the iconic Indian actor and cinema royalty - Sivaji Ganesan and his extensive contribution to the Tamil & Indian film industry on his 93rd birthday.

Art Director: Thoka Maer

Sivaji Ganesan was one of India’s first method actors and widely considered among the nation’s most influential actors of all time. He was born on the 1st of October 1928, as Ganesamoorthy in Villupuram, a town in the southeastern state of Tamil Nadu, India. At a young age of 7, he left home and joined a theatre group, where he started playing child and female roles then lead roles. He made his on-screen debut in the 1952 film “Parasakthi,” the first of his over 300 films spanning a nearly five-decade cinematic career. Renowned for his expressive voice and diverse performances in Tamil-language cinema, Ganesan quickly ascended to international fame.

In 1960, Ganesan made history as the first Indian performer to win Best Actor at an international film festival for his historical movie “Veerapandiya Kattabomman,” one of his biggest blockbusters. In 1995, France awarded him its highest decoration, Chevalier of the National Order of the Legion of Honour. The Indian government in 1997 honoured him with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award which is India's highest award in the field of cinema. Today, his legacy is carried on for international audiences through the performances of the many contemporary Indian acting greats who cite Ganesan as a major inspiration.

The doodle is designed to work effectively against various light and dark backgrounds on mobile phone screens.

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Early drafts & sketches for the doodle

With the Doodle I wanted to celebrate his work and legacy in the Tamil & Indian film industry and also bring forth his charisma and uniqueness in visual form. I decided to build a narrative around his portrait using elements that represent his contribution to the cultural & cinematic landscape. For the typography/lettering for 'Google', I decided to lean into the bold graphic 3D aesthetic of vintage Tamil and Indian films. I also wanted to pay homage to his range as an actor so I borrowed visual cues from some of his iconic roles that not only show his versatility, but are also symbolic of his long-standing career that spanned over decades.