Renowned Actor Vijayakanth Dies in Chennai

DMDK Founder Succumbs to COVID-19 After Testing Positive

Vijayakant, a renowned actor in Tamil cinema and the founder-leader of DMDK, passed away at the age of 71. He succumbed to pneumonia while on ventilator support in a private hospital on Thursday morning. He is survived by his wife Premalatha and sons Shanmuga Pandian and Vijaya Prabhakaran.

On Thursday morning, the party headquarters disclosed that he had contracted Covid-19 and was under ventilator care. Admitted to the hospital on Tuesday, he had a history of recurrent hospitalizations due to prolonged illness. In 2017, he sought medical treatment in the US after undergoing organ transplant, and in June 2022, he underwent toe amputation due to complications from long-term diabetes.

Born as Vijayaraj in Madurai, Vijayakant, alongside Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, became a prominent figure in Tamil cinema. Admired for his down-to-earth persona, fans dubbed him 'Karuppu MGR' and 'Puratchi Kalaignar'. Fondly called 'Captain' after his 100th hit film, 'Captain Prabhakaran'.

With finesse, the actor portrayed the revolutionary young man, earning accolades such as the Filmfare award for 'Amman Kovil Kizhakale' in 1986 and the Tamil Nadu government's award for 'Senthoora Poove' in 1988. Notably, in 1984, he made history as the sole actor in the Tamil film industry to have played lead roles in 18 films in a single year.

The commercial hit 'Sattam Oru Iruttarai' was remade in Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi. Vijayakant's successful films, including 'Vaidegi Kathirunthal,' 'Amman Kovil Kizhakale,' 'Oomai Vizhigal,' 'Cooliekkaran,' 'Uzhavan Magan,' 'Poonthootta Kavalkaaran,' and 'Senthoora Poove,' marked a thriving career spanning over three decades.

During his presidency, Vijayakant took the initiative to organize fundraising events abroad to alleviate the mounting debts of the prestigious South Indian Artistes Association, once led by the late Chief Minister M G Ramachandran.

Known for his philanthropy, Vijayakant entered politics in 2005, transforming his fan clubs into the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK). The party witnessed a significant electoral upswing when Vijayakant aligned with Jayalalithaa's AIADMK in 2011, securing 29 out of 40 seats. Vijayakant, contesting himself, became the Leader of Opposition, surpassing the principal Dravidian party, the DMK, which fell to the third position.

In the 2016 assembly election, Vijayakant aligned with the four-party alliance People's Welfare Front, positioning himself as the chief ministerial candidate. His last public appearance was at the DMDK general council meeting on December 13 in Thiruverkadu near Chennai, where he appeared in a wheelchair with support from aides. During the meeting, the council unanimously appointed his wife, Premalatha, as the general secretary of the DMDK. The DMDK holds recognition as one of the registered parties by the Election Commission in Tamil Nadu.