Sivaji Ganesan (Viluppuram Chinnaiahpillai Ganesan, October 1, 1927 - July 21, 2001) was a legendary Indian film actor, active during the latter half of the 20th century. His fame came from his versatility and expressive prowess in Tamil cinema. He is the first and only South Indian film actor who has won a best actor award in an international film festival, the Afro-Asian Film Festival held in Cairo during 1959. Sivaji's legacy of acting is still admired today, also being an influence to many other Indian film actors.