Chennai, Nov 10: Noted Tamil actor ‘Delhi’ Ganesh, who essayed a spectacular variety of memorable roles in over 400 films, passed away late Saturday night at his residence here following a brief illness, his family said.
He was 80 years old. The actor’s son, Maha Delhi Ganesh, told reporters that his father had age-related ailments and that he was under treatment. “Last night when we tried to give him a tablet, he did not respond. A doctor confirmed that he was dead,” he said. Another family member said Ganesh died in his sleep at his Ramapuram residence. In a statement, the family said Delhi Ganesh passed away at 11 pm on November 9. Film celebrities condoled his death. A native of Tirunelveli, Ganesh’s acting career began in the 1960’s when he performed small roles in dramas in Delhi, where he served the IAF for a decade in a civilian post.
Later, when he shifted to Chennai after resigning his IAF job, he joined actor ‘Kathadi’ Ramamoorthy’s troupe and acted in dramas including ‘Dowry Kalyanam.’ When legendary director K Balachander made a film (1977) based on the play ‘Pattinaprevasam,’ Ganesh got his first opportunity in the tinsel world and he reprised his role in the movie.
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There was no looking back since then and his filmography is impressive with main roles in films of top stars including Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and Vijayakanth. Ganesh’s role as a loyal staff of gangster Velu Naicker, a character made immortal by Haasan’s brilliant performance in the Mani Ratnam-directed Nayakan (1987), lent weight to the caring persona of the protagonist. (PTI)
