Sivaji' s real name is Villupuram Chinnaiahpillai Ganesan. He was born in marthandam, Thanjavur district (now in Nagapattinam district), Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu) on 1 October 1928. He became an actor after performing as a stage actor in his childhood. He married Kamala and has two sons and two daughters named Ramkumar Ganesan, Prabhu Ganesan, Thenmozhi Ganesan and Shanti Ganesan.