Actor Vijayakanth, the leader of DMDK, passed away in a private hospital in Chennai on Thursday, December 28. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences for his loss. In a statement, the hospital reported that the DMDK supremo, who tested positive for coronavirus and was hospitalized for pneumonia, was on ventilator support.
Vijayakanth was admitted with pneumonia and was receiving ventilator support. He passed early in the morning despite the greatest efforts of the medical team, according to the hospital statement that PTI was able to get.
Vijayakanth; a leader of Cinema and Politics
Vijayakanth, an Indian politician and actor known for his work in Tamil cinema, was a prominent figure in the political landscape. He served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from 2011 to 2016 and was a founding member of the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) political party. Vijayakanth was also a member of the Legislative Assembly twice, representing the constituencies of Virudhachalam and Rishivandiyam.
Upon entering the film industry, Vijayakanth changed his name to “Vijayakanth” and began his career with M. A. Kaja’s Inikkum Ilamai (1979). He gained success with Sattam Oru Iruttarai (1981), directed by S. A. Chandrasekhar. In the 1980s and 1990s, he became an action icon with a consistent box-office appeal. He was given the sobriquet “Captain” after his 100th film, Captain Prabhakaran (1991).
Vijayakant’s Career as an actor
Vijayakanth, a renowned Tamil actor, has acted in over 20 films as a police officer, often dubbed into Telugu and Hindi. He was known for his low-budget films, which often revolved around corruption, honesty, and keeping up promises. Vijayakanth’s dedication to his craft and his work ethic led him to change his name to “Vijayakanth” and become an action icon with a consistent box-office appeal.
How he earned the title of “Captain”?
His 100th film, Captain Prabhakaran (1991), earned him the nickname “Captain” after he portrayed an IFS officer. Vijayakanth’s career began with films like Inikkum Ilamai (1979), where he played an antagonist. His subsequent films, such as Agal Vilakku (1979), Neerottam (1980), and Saamanthippoo (1980), were box-office flops. His most successful film, Pulan Visaranai (1991), was a crime thriller directed by R. K. Selvamani.
Vijayakanth also appeared in films like Chinna Gounder (1992), which was a commercial success.
He co-starred with his son, Vijay, in Sendhoorapandi (1993), where he played the role of an elder brother. n addition to his film career, Vijayakanth has also acted in several other films, including Dharma Chakkaram (1997), Ulavuthurai (1998), Kallazhagar (1999), Periyanna (1999), and Kannupada Poguthaiya (1999) under the banner Super Good Films. Vijayakanth, a renowned Tamil actor, gained fame through his roles in action, romance, and sentimental films. He became the first Tamil cinema actor to release the most films in a year in the lead role, with 18 releases in 1984. Vijayakanth acted in several films, including Annai Bhoomi 3D, Eetti, Naane Raja Naane Mandhiri, Amman Kovil Kizhakale, Manakanakku, and Oomai Vizhigal.
He also co-starred with Sivaji Ganesan in Veerapandiyan, Cooliekkaran, Veeran Veluthambi, Ninaive Oru Sangeetham, Sattam Oru Vilayaattu, and Uzhavan Magan. In the 2000s, Vijayakanth continued his success with blockbuster films like Vaanathai Pola, Vallarasu, Simmasanam, Vaanchinathan, Viswanathan Ramamoorthy, and Thavasi. He also acted in Raajjiyam and Devan, and in AR Murugadoss’s Ramanaa, he underplayed as a realistic action hero.
His loss is a significant one for the Tamil industry as well as for politics and for India as a whole.
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