Artists in Tamil Nadu paid tribute to actor-politician MG Ramachandran with about 100 watermelons in Tiruvannamalai, The Hindu reported on Monday. The duo etched images from Ramachandran’s popular films as well as his political career on fruits and vegetables, which were on display at a vegetable and fruit show organised by the Department of Horticulture as part of MGR’s birth centenary year celebrations.

“I have carved the images of the actor from films like Adimai Pen, Anbe Vaa, Kudiyiruntha Kovil, Padagotti and Ayirathil Oruvan,” Coimbatore-based M Govindaraj said, adding that it took him nearly a day to complete them.

Govindaraj and his wife also built three 7-ft long structures using other vegetables like pumpkin, yam, carrot, radish and cabbage.

Theni-based artist M Elanchezhian created about 100 images on watermelons, also from MGR’s political and film careers. “Some [were] from his movies and some [were on based on schemes introduced by his government] including the nutritious meal programme and the Tamil Nadu government’s emblem,” he said.