The demise of actor-politician and DMK leader Captain Vijayakanth has occurred. According to the party, he tested positive for COVID and faced difficulties in breathing, necessitating ventilator support.
On Tuesday, the DMK mentioned they had taken him to the hospital for regular health check-ups. Initially, they had said Vijayakanth was ‘doing well’ and would be back home after the tests. But today, the party disclosed that he tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently on ventilator support due to breathing issues.
At MIOT Hospital, where Vijayakanth was receiving care, a medical update mentioned, ‘Following admission due to pneumonia, Captain Vijayakanth required ventilator support. Sadly, despite the dedicated efforts of the medical team, he passed away on the morning of December 28, 2023.
Had worked in 154 films
On November 20, the chief of the DMK was admitted to the hospital and returned home earlier this month. He was undergoing treatment for respiratory issues at the hospital. Vijayakanth’s journey in films has been remarkable; he starred in numerous hit movies and acted in 154 films. He ventured into politics after his film career, founding the DMDK and representing the Virudhachalam and Rishivandiyam constituencies. He served as a member of the legislative assembly twice.
These are five interesting facts
- Vijayakanth was born in 1952 in Madurai. His name was Narayanan Vijayaraj Alagarswami. During his acting career, he removed ‘Raj’ from his name and added ‘Kant.’ As for the term ‘Captain,’ it originated from his character in the 1991 movie ‘Captain Prabhakaran,’ where he portrayed a forest officer. He got married to Premalatha in 1990, who continued to support him throughout his political journey.
- In 2005, Vijayakanth established the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) party, entering Tamil Nadu’s political landscape dominated by the DMK and AIADMK. In the 2006 legislative assembly elections, only Vijayakanth emerged victorious in the party’s maiden electoral test. Despite this singular victory, the DMDK succeeded in making a significant impact on Tamil Nadu’s political scenario.
- The 2011 state elections proved to be the most successful for the DMDK. That year, Vijayakanth formed an alliance with the AIADMK and announced contesting on 41 seats. The party secured victories on 29 out of those 41 seats, surpassing the number of seats held by the DMK at that time. Vijayakanth became the opposition leader and held that position until 2016.
- The subsequent elections brought disappointment for Vijayakanth and the DMDK. In 2016, despite several senior leaders facing defeat, they couldn’t secure their own positions. The 2019 Lok Sabha elections also proved unsuccessful for the DMDK. Despite their alliance with the BJP and AIADMK, victory eluded them. Vijayakanth had been unwell for some years, keeping a low profile, while his wife, Premalatha, took charge of overseeing the party’s operations.
- Besides his journey in acting and politics, Vijayakanth ventured into founding an engineering college and kick-started Captain TV, a television channel. He also took up the role of president at the South Indian Film Artistes’ Association.
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