Thanks to the fantastic two-part article "The Freedom Movement Through Tamil Cinema" by Randor Guy in the August and September 2007 issues of Galatta Cinema Magazine, I finally am able to identify the iconic image I've seen in various Indian films/artwork as Subramania Bharathiar (also known as Subramanya Bharathi), the cult rebel Tamil poet of India whose writings were banned by the British! I first remember seeing his iconic image in the song "Konjum Mainakkale" from Kandukondain Kandukondain:
