Actor-politician and DMDK founder Vijayakanth passes away at the age of 71 following battle with pneumonia

Actor-politician and DMDK (translated to National Progressive Dravidian Federation) founder Vijayakanth has passed away at the age of 71. According to a news report in Hindustan Times, the news of his death was confirmed by staff of the Miot Hospital where he was admitted while suffering from pneumonia. He was put on ventilator support during the time of his death.

The hospital released a statement that said, “Captain Vijaykanth was on ventilatory support following his admission for pneumonia. Despite the best efforts of medical staff, he passed away in the morning on 28th December 2023.” His party had also revealed that the Maanagara Kaval actor had tested positive for COVID-19. According to PTI, the hospital sources said that the party released the statement even before the results for the second round of samples were out.

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Vijayakanth had been battling with many health issues for quite some time and had been keeping away from the media glare for the past 4 to 5 years. His wife Premlatha had taken upon herself the functioning of the DMDK party and was also announced as the general secretary of the same at a party meeting in Chennai on December 14, 2023. Condolences have been pouring in for the Captain Prabhakaran actor from his fans and the South Indian film industry fraternity.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to his social media handle to state, “Extremely saddened by the passing away of Thiru Vijayakanth Ji. A legend of the Tamil film world, his charismatic performances captured the hearts of millions. As a political leader, he was deeply committed to public service, leaving a lasting impact on Tamil Nadu’s political landscape. His passing leaves a void that will be hard to fill. He was a close friend and I fondly recall my interactions with him over the years. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with his family, fans, and numerous followers. Om Shanti.”