Actor-turned-politician Vijayakanth died on December 28 at the age of 71. He was suffering from pneumonia and had also tested positive for COVID-19. Morning shows in Tamil Nadu theatres have been cancelled as a mark of respect to the veteran. Stars and fans are also mourning his demise on social media.
Kamal Haasan penned a lengthy note in Tamil, a portion of which reads, ‘He lived with humanity in every action. He was the creator of innovative ideas in Tamil Nadu politics. He always had a helping hand extended to the needy. Fearless courage was his hallmark. Vijayakanth, a revolutionary artist who made his mark in both cinema and politics, will always be in our heart.’
Trisha extended condolences to his family. She wrote, ‘RIP Captain. Lots of love and strength to Premalatha ma’am and his family. I’ll forever remember your kindness.” Jr NTR called him a powerhouse, “Saddened to learn about Vijayakanth Garu's passing. A true powerhouse in both cinema and politics. May his soul find eternal peace. My thoughts are with his family and friends.’
‘Saddened to hear the passing of one of the most loving and caring beings ever. We will miss you Captain!! #RIP,’ wrote Vikram.
Sonu Sood reminisced how he got his first role on-screen due to Vijayakanth. He wrote, ‘Kallazgar my first film ever, was a gift from the legend VIJAYKANTH sir.. He came across this still of mine and in no time I was filming with him.. I owe my career to him .. Will miss you so much sir. RIP CAPTAIN.’
Vijayakanth was born in 1952 in Madurai as Narayanan Vijayraj Alagarswami. He is was called a ‘Puratchi Kalaignar’ (revolutionary artist) in the industry. Many of his roles saw him portray the role of a righteous man, with his roles as a police officer being famous. He earned the moniker Captain after his 1991 film ‘Captain Prabhakaran’.
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