Actor turned politician Captain Vijayakanth passed away on December 28, 2023. The actor was famous for his cop roles in Tamil movies. Read to know more about him here.
Actor turned DMK founder Captain Vijayakanth passed away on December 28, 2023. The actor was initially admitted to the hospital for regular check-ups. However, later, he was diagnosed with pneumonia and also tested positive for Covid 19. Vijayakanth passed away at the age of 71 in Chennai. The mortal remains of the actor have been brought to his residence and will soon be taken to the DMDK office. In November, Vijayakanth was hospitalized at MIOT Hospital in Chennai due to a deterioration in his health, marked by persistent coughing and throat pain. He underwent a 14-day period of observation and medical care.
Popularly known as Captain, the actor’s acting journey began in the Tamil film industry as he starred in 154 movies before transitioning into the realm of politics. After Rajnikanth, it was Vijayakanth who paved the path for dark-skinned actors to win hearts and achieve stardom. Let’s take a look at Vijayakanth’s career journey from being an actor to a renowned politician.
Vijayakanth’s Formative Acting Career
Back in 1979, Vijayakanth began his acting journey with Inikkum Ilamai. With a powerpack performance in each film and magnificent looks, Vijayakanth became a popular figure among the audience. His first breakthrough took place with Sattam Oru Iruttarai (1981), directed by Vijay’s father SA Chandrasekhar.
Later, the actor collaborated with SAC for different ventures such as Nenjile Thunivirunthal, Needhi Pizhaithathu, and Pattanathu Rajakkal. Released in 1984 and directed by Manivanan, “Nooravathu Naal” marked Vijayakanth’s debut film that achieved a remarkable run of over 200 days. Following this success, Vijayakanth emerged as a formidable presence in Tamil cinema, standing shoulder to shoulder with industry stalwarts such as Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan.
During the 90’s Vijayakanth was popularly known for his roles as a police officer. Later, at the age of 34, the actor played an ageing police officer in the movie Oomai Vizhigal (1986) which turned out to be a massive hit among the audience. He portrayed the role of a homeless man in Vaidhegi Kaathirunthaal (1984). In 1998, Vijayakanth won the Tamil Nadu State Award for Senthoora Poove. Later in 1996 he once again won the award for Thyagam.
Meanwhile, for people in modern cinema, Vijayakanth will be known for his portrayal of AR Murugadoss’s Ramana. During a phase when the actor was predominantly associated with frivolous masala films like “Vallarasu” and “Narasimma,” AR Murugadoss showcased Vijayakanth’s capabilities in a different light with “Ramana.” This film emerged as the actor’s biggest hit in decades. However, it coincided with Vijayakanth’s transition into the political arena of Tamil Nadu. Following “Ramana,” Captain remained active in films for six more years until he departed from the industry after “Virudhagiri” (2010), focusing his attention on his political endeavours. He made a brief comeback with a cameo appearance in “Sagaptham” (2015), marking his final on-screen presence.
Vijayakanth’s Political Career
Vijayakanth ventured into politics when he established the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) party in 2005. After the formation of DMDK, the party in 2006 contested all 234 constituencies while the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections took place. When the results for the same were released, Vijayakanth emerged as the sole victor for his party. Also, the party managed to secure a total of 8% vote share.
As the party gave an impressive performance in the Assembly Polls, the vote share of DMDK further increased to 10.3% in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. Vijayakanth became the leader of the masses and tried solving issues from social justice to the fight against oppression.
Meanwhile, as the news of Vijaykanth’s demise surfaced online, several fans started a flood of tweets and re-tweets on X. Many fans also expressed their grief on the demise of the actor. Various South cinema stars including Shruti Haasan, Sonu Sood, Jr NTR, and others also extended condolences.
