Jayalalithaa’s Friend Cho No More

on Dec 6, 2016

Jayalalithaa’s friend, actor, script, dialogue writer, analyst, political satirist Srinivasa Iyer Ramaswamy aka Cho Ramaswamy passed away today morning in Chennai following a cardiac arrest. He was 82. Cho breathed his last just one day after Jayalalithaa died.

Cho was admitted to Apollo Hospitals on November 29 for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD). He was moved to the intensive care unit when his condition was critical.

Cho was survived by wife Soundara Ramaswamy, son Rajivakshan and daughter Sindhu.
His body has been taken to his house in MRC Nagar and the funeral will be done today. Cho was actress Ramya Krishna’s uncle.

Cho campaigned for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last polls and the latter called him his "Raj Guru." "Cho was insightful, frank, brilliant. Pained by his demise. Condolences to his family and countless readers of Thuglak," Modi tweeted.

Cho penned nearly 23 stage plays, including "Mohammed Bin Thuglaq," where he resurrected Sultan Thuglaq from his grave to become the prime minister of India. He acted in 200 films, directed four and scripted another 14. He got the name "Cho" from a character he enlivened on the stage in a play called "Thenmozhiyal."

Cho launched Tamil magazine Thuglak in 1970. He considered the magazine a government critic and a responsible opposition.

Cho went to be the political advisor and satirist and criticised senior politicians, including former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and former chief ministers M Karunanidhi, M G Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa.