DMDK chief Captain Vijayakanth passes away at 71; PM Modi, 'Salaar' actor Sriya Reddy pay tributes

Actor and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) chief Captain Vijayakanth on Thursday passed away at the age of 71 at a private hospital in Chennai. The hospital said in its statement that the DMDK supremo was on ventilator support after he was admitted for pneumonia after testing positive for coronavirus. 

"Captain Vijayakanth was on ventilatory support following his admission for pneumonia. Despite the best efforts of medical staff, he passed away in the morning of 28th December 2023," the hospital statement accessed by news agency PTI read. 

Soon after the solemn news of Vijayakanth's death broke, a massive crowd of supporters was seen outside the DMDK chief's residence in Chennai. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying tributes to the departed soul. he reminisced his interactions with Vijayakanth and extended his deepest condolences towards the DMDK chief's family, fans and followers.

"Extremely saddened by the passing away of Thiru Vijayakanth Ji. A legend of the Tamil film world, his charismatic performances captured the hearts of millions. As a political leader, he was deeply committed to public service, leaving a lasting impact on Tamil Nadu’s political landscape. His passing leaves a void that will be hard to fill. He was a close friend and I fondly recall my interactions with him over the years. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with his family, fans and numerous followers. Om Shanti," PM Modi said in a post on X formerly Twitter. 

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also paid her last respects to the 'Captain'. "My deepest condolences on the demise of respected Captain Vijayakanth. We will pay tribute to the founder of DMDK, Vijayakanth, as 'Pasipini Thirtha Ponmana Vallaal'. I express my deepest condolences to his fans and DMDK volunteers who will miss him," she said in a post on X. 

Salaar actor Sriya Reddy also paid her last respects to the actor-turned-politician on X. Reddy said in her post, "Rest in peace Vijayakanth sir! You'll never be forgotten!"

Here are some other reactions to Captain Vijayakanth's passing 

Meanwhile, film critic and trade analyst Ramesh Bala said citing the Tamil Nadu Exhibitors Association that morning shows in all cinema theatres across the state will be cancelled as a mark of respect to Captain Vijayakanth. 

Vijayakanth was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday for a regular health check-up. The DMDK at the time said that Vijayakanth was "healthy" and would come back home after the tests, India Today reported. Previously, he was hospitalised on November 20 for a respiratory illness. 

Born as Narayanan Vijayaraj Alagarswami in 1952, Vijayakanth founded the DMDK in September 2005. DMDK contested in all seats in the 2006 assembly seats and won one seat contested by him. He was also the former Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from May 2011 to February 2016. He also served as an MLA twice from Virudhachalam and Rishivandiyam constituencies. 

Before entering the world of politics, Captain Vijayakanth was a superstar of the Tamil film industry, where he acted in 154 movies. Vijayakanth had the title Puratchi Kalingar (revolutionary artist) and was known for portraying a patriotic, village do-gooder and dual role acting.

He got the sobriquet Captain after his 100th film Captain Prabhakaran in 1990. Some of his prominent films include Vaidhegi Kaathirunthaal (1984), Amman Kovil Kizhakale (1986), Cooliekkaran (1987), Poonthotta Kaavalkaaran (1988), Senthoora Poove (1988), and Captain Prabhakaran (1990). 

Captain Vijayakanth also produced films along with his brother-in-law L.K. Sudheesh under the company Captain Cine Creations. These films are Vallarasu (2000), Narasimha (2001), Thennavan (2003), Engal Anna (2004), Sudesi (2006), Arasangam (2008), Viruthagiri (2010), and Sagaptham (2015). 

(With PTI, India Today inputs)

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