Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) founder and veteran actor Vijayakanth, fondly called as 'Captain', passed away at a private hospital in Chennai on Thursday. He was 71.
“Captain Vijayakanth was on ventilatory support following his admission for pneumonia. Despite the best efforts of medical staff, he passed away in the morning on 28th December 2023,” read a statement from the MIOT International Hospital.
Earlier, his party in a statement informed that Vijayakanth had tested positive for COVID-19. However, hospital sources claimed that the health update was issued before the results for the second round of samples were available, PTI reported.
Soon after Vijayakanth's demise, his fans and supporters gathered outside his house to pay homage to the Tamil cinema icon.
Visuals from outside the residence of DMDK founder and popular yesteryear Tamil actor Vijayakanth in Chennai. Vijayakanth passed away at the MIOT International Hospital earlier today. pic.twitter.com/ZzkvgGF3ID
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 28, 2023
He was earlier admitted to the same hospital on November 18 and was discharged on December 11.
For the past four years, Vijayakanth kept a low profile due to health issues. His wife, Premalatha, was named the new general secretary of DMDK at a party meeting in Chennai earlier this month.
Who was Vijayakanth?
He was born on August 25, 1952, as Vijayaraj Alagarswami in Madurai. Vijayakanth was among the actors who only worked in the Tamil film industry throughout his career.
In a career spanning decades, Vijayakanth starred in over 150 films and earned the title ‘Puratchi Kalaignar’ (revolutionary artist) in the Tamil film industry.
Vijayakanth's passing marks the end of a significant chapter in Tamil Nadu's political history and leaves a void in the state's diverse political landscape.
Acting career
Since his debut with ‘Iniikum Ilamai’ in 1979, Vijayakanth has given his fans a dose of adrenaline rush with his intense action scenes and fiery dialogues.
He was fondly called the ‘Captain’ after featuring in his 100th film, ‘Captain Prabhakaran’ in 1991.
Some of his well-known works include ‘Doorathu Idi Muzhakkam’, which was screened at the Indian Panorama of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI). He was launched as a commercial hero in 1981 with ‘Sattam Oru Iruttarai’.
Among his other popular films include ‘Senthoora Poove, Pulan Visaranai, Chinna Gounder, Sethupathi IPS, Chatriyan, Honest Raj, Ramana and Vanathai Pola, among others.
For his work in the field of cinema, Vijayakanth received several honours including, the Tamil Nadu State Film Honorary Award, Kalaimamani Award, and an Honorary Doctorate from the International Institute of Church Management.
Politics
After carving out a niche for himself in the Tamil cinema, Vijayakanth made his debut in politics in the year 2005 by floating his party, DMDK, which was looked upon as a fresh alternative in state politics.
During its initial years, the party received a lot of success, thanks to Vijayakanth’s popularity, particularly in the rural areas.
Within a year after its establishment, DMDK contested on 232 seats in the 2006 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and secured 8.4% votes, with Vijayakanth being the sole winner from Virudhachalam, The Indian Express reported.
In the 2011 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, DMDK won as many as 29 seats, leaving behind the DMK to a distant third and emerged as the main Opposition party in the state, reports said.
However, the party's 7.9% vote share in the 2011 Assembly polls dropped to 5.1% in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, 2.4% in the 2016 state elections, and a mere 0.43% in the last Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu.
DMDK has reportedly not won a single seat in Tamil Nadu since 2011.
Vijayakanth is survived by his wife Premalatha and two sons.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
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