Acting Encyclopedias – Both Nadigar Thilagam ‘Chevalier’ Sivaji Ganesan and Akkineni Nageswara Rao have received the highest national recognition for an actor, the Dadasaheb Phalke award for their contribution to cinema. Both have essayed roles across various genres such as mythological, drama and social films but most of all their influence on subsequent generations of actors will be regarded as their greatest achievement. Their performances even today serve as lessons for aspiring actors.