Vijayakanth Passes Away At 71: Jr NTR, Chiranjeevi, Kamal Haasan, Other Celebs Mourn His Demise

DMDK founder-leader and Tamil actor Vijayakanth passed away in Chennai on Thursday following an illness at the age of 71. He was on ventilatory support after he tested positive for Covid-19. His death had come a rude shock to the entire nation. Several celebrities have now mourned his demise.

Actor-politician Kamal Haasan shared a heartfelt note on X in honour of DMDK founder Vijayakanth. “The news of the death of my beloved brother Vijayakanth, the founder of the National Progressive Dravida Association, a unique actor and captain of Tamil cinema, who was loved by all, is deeply saddened.”

“He lived with humanity in every action. He was the creator of innovative ideas in Tamil Nadu politics. He had a helping hand extended to the poor. Fearless courage was his hallmark. Vijayakanth, a revolutionary artist who made his mark in both the fields of cinema and politics, will remain forever in our memories. I offer my heartfelt condolences to all his family, volunteers and fans who are grieving his loss,” Hassan added in his post in Tamil.

“He was a captain not only for me but for everyone,” said Indian choreographer and film director Prabhudeva, adding, ” He was a great person. I have never seen such a hero. Some may not believe what I am saying. Vijayakanth sir was such a great hero. A very good man. Can someone be that good? He was.”

“Rest in peace Vijayakanth sir! You’ll never be forgotten!” Actor Sriya Reddy wrote on X.

Chiranjeevi on the other hand wrote, “Heartbroken to know that our ‘Puratchi Kalingar’, ‘Captain’ Vijayakanth is no more. He was a wonderful human being, Hero of the Masses,a multi faceted personality and an astute politician. Though he never acted in straight Telugu films, he is hugely popular and loved by the Telugu Audiences too.

Our beloved ‘Captain’ has left us too soon leaving an irreplaceable void!

My heartfelt condolences to his numerous fans, family and well wishers. May his soul rest in peace. .”

Jr NTR took his X handle and shared, 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.

Meanwhile, the hospital where the actor-turned-politician was admitted, informed that Vijayakanth was battling pneumonia and passed away on Thursday morning. “Captain Vijayakanth was on ventilatory support following his admission for pneumonia. Despite the best efforts of the medical staff, he passed away in the morning on December 28, 2023,” the hospital said in a press release.