Veteran Tamil actor Srikanth who debuted alongside late J Jayalalithaa, dies at 82

Veteran Tamil actor Srikanth passed away at the age of 82 on Tuesday, October 12 in Chennai. The cause for his death is reported as old age. Known for his ability to deliver versatile roles throughout his career spanning over four decades, the veteran actor marked his debut in the film industry alongside the late J Jayalalithaa in the 1965 classic Vennira Adai. 

Tamil actor Srikanth passes away

The news was announced by the film industry sources as the artists association, Nadigar Sangam, took to their Twitter to share the news. As soon as the news broke, the Tamil film fraternity took to social media to pay a tribute to the late actor. A user highlighted his contribution to the film industry as an artist by writing, ''Tamil actor Srikanth, who passed away today, does not leave any big acting legacy. But he brought an old-school dignity to his on-screen persona. It was the hallmark of that era. His name will be part of one of the most well-known comedic films in Tamil, Kasethan Kadavulada.''

Legendary actor Rajnikanth took to his Twitter to mourn the death of his 'dear friend' by extending condolences. He wrote, ''The demise of my dear friend Mr. Srikanth makes me very sad. May his soul rest in peace.'' The late Srikanth played the role of an anti-hero in Bhairavi, Rajinikanth's first flick as a hero.

More on veteran actor Srikanth

The veteran actor, birth name Venkatraman, made his debut C. V. Sridhar's film Vennira Aadai in 1965 opposite the late J Jayalalithaa. He went on to appear in films like Naanal, Selva Magal, Thanga Gopuram, Gnana Oli, Gomatha Engal Kulamatha, Vairam, Vasantha Maligai, and more. After establishing an image of a romantic actor, he took on villainous roles which catapulted his success in the industry.

Some of the roles he immortalised came from the films like Anbu Thangai and Vani Rani. Acting in over 200 films in his career, he garnered fame by taking up supporting roles for films starring some of the biggest Tamil actors like Rajnikanth, Kamal Haasan, and late Sivaji Ganesan.

(Inputs from PTI)

Image: Twitter/@@NadigarsangamP