Prominent Tamil actor ‘Delhi’ Ganesh, Chennai, who performed an extraordinary variety of memorable roles in over 400 films, passed away at his residence here late on Saturday night after a short illness, his family said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and many leaders and film stars expressed their condolences on his death. The actor was 80 years old. He is survived by his wife and three children, a son and two daughters.

In a message regarding X, Prime Minister Modi stated that he was “deeply saddened by the demise of famous film personality Thiru Delhi Ganesh Ji.”

“He was blessed with impeccable acting skills. He will be fondly remembered for the depth he brought to every role and his ability to connect with audiences across generations. He was also passionate about theatre. We extend our condolences to his family and fans. Om Shanti.” said the Prime Minister.

Known for his versatility in supporting roles, including funny, malevolent and family-oriented characters, Ganesh has portrayed roles ranging from a loving father to a caring brother.

Members of the film industry, including actors and directors, visited her home to gift flowers. Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian laid a wreath on behalf of the state government.

Prime Minister Stalin called Ganesh’s death a “great loss” for Tamil cinema, recalling his wide range of roles in film and television. On social media, celebrities like actor Rajinikanth and actor-politician Vijay also mourned his demise.

A native of Tirunelveli, Ganesh’s acting career began with small roles in serials in Delhi in the 1960s, where he served the IAF in a civilian capacity for a decade. Later, when he shifted to Chennai after resigning from his IAF job, he joined actor ‘Kathadi’ Ramamoorthy’s troupe and acted in serials including ‘Dowry Kalyanam’.

He went on to act alongside top actors like Ganesh, Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and Vijayakanth.

When legendary director K Balachander made a film based on the play ‘Pettinaprevasam’, Ganesh got his first opportunity in the glitter world and reprized his role in the film. There has been no looking back since then and his filmography is quite impressive, with leading roles in films by top stars like Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and Vijayakanth.

His role as gangster Velu Naicker’s loyal sidekick in Mani Ratnam’s film ‘Nayakan’ added gravitas to the hero’s caring personality and remains one of the highlights of his career.

He is also remembered for his iconic performances in Kamal Haasan’s films like ‘Michael Madana Kama Rajan’ and ‘Avvai Shanmughi’.

He played a memorable villain in ‘Apoorva Sagodharargal’.

Haasan paid tribute to the late actor and praised him for his “deft handling of humour”.

“It’s not easy to replace him,” he said in his post about ‘X’.

Delhi Ganesh, who received the Tamil Nadu government’s Kalaimamani award, was recently honored with a lifetime achievement award by artists’ association Nadigar Sangam.

Since he lived in Delhi for a long time, the name of the national capital was added before his name on the advice of director Balachander when he entered the cinema.

His son, Maha Delhi Ganesh, told reporters that his father had age-related ailments and did not respond when given medication. “A doctor later confirmed his death,” he added.

Another family member said Ganesh died in his sleep at his home in Ramapuram. In a statement, the family said that Delhi Ganesh passed away at 23:00 on November 9.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to the text.