Esteemed Tamil actor and politician Vijayakanth, fondly known as “Captain” by his admirers, passed away this morning at a private hospital in Chennai, India.

At 71 years old, the veteran actor had been grappling with pneumonia since November 20, and his health further complicated as he tested positive for COVID-19. Reports from Indian news portals indicated that he was on ventilatory support before his demise.

Vijayakanth made his cinematic debut in 1979 with the film “Inikkum Ilamai” and went on to amass a significant body of work, featuring in 154 films. Considered a contemporary to Tamil cinema legends Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, he carved a niche for himself with notable roles as a benevolent villager and a senior police officer in movies such as “Chinna Gounder” (1991), “Thavasi” (2001), and “Narasimha” (2001).

Beyond his cinematic success, Vijayakanth, like many Tamil screen icons, ventured into politics by founding the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) in 2005. His political journey saw him elected as a member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly twice, and he served as the state’s opposition leader from 2011 to 2016.

A formidable force in Tamil Nadu politics, Vijayakanth posed a challenge to stalwarts like J. Jayalalitha and M. Karunanidhi. His contributions extended beyond politics as he played a pivotal role in reviving the ‘Nadigar Sangam’ (South Indian Artists Association), organizing international shows in Singapore and Malaysia to raise funds for the association when it faced financial challenges.

In recent years, Vijayakanth had withdrawn from active politics due to deteriorating health. His last public appearance occurred on December 14 during a DMDK meeting, where his wife, Premalatha, was appointed as the party’s general secretary. Vijayakanth is survived by his wife and two sons.