Kamal Haasan Mourns 'Brother' Daniel Balaji's Death, Says His Eyes Will Be Donated
Kamal Haasan mourned the death of his Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu co-star Daniel Balaji. The actor also confirmed that the deceased will be donating his eyes.
- Entertainment News
- 2 min read
South Indian actor Daniel Balaji who is known for his versatile performances across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada cinema, passed away at the age of 48 in a private hospital in Chennai. The actor succumbed to a sudden heart attack on March 29, leaving the industry and fans in shock and mourning.
His funeral took place in Chennai today, with prominent personalities from the film fraternity, including directors Vetrimaaran and Gautham Vasudev Menon, paying their last respects.
Tributes flow in for Daniel Balaji
Actor Atharvaa Murali who also happens to be Daniel’s nephew has expressed his grief on Twitter and talked about the limited time he had with his beloved uncle. He wrote, “It’s one of those days when you understand that “only” time and people we hitch ourselves through life matters the most. I Wish we got to spend more time together. REST IN PEACE Balaji Chithappa.”
Kamal Haasan confirms Daniel Balaji’s eyes will be donated
Veteran actor Kamal Haasan, who shared the screen with him in the film Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu, penned a heartfelt note in Tamil mourning Balaji's death and wrote, “The sudden death of brother Daniel Balaji is shocking. The agony of young deaths is great. My condolences to Balaji's family, friends and fans. He will live even after his death by donating his eyes. My tribute to Balaji who has given light.”
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What more do we know about Daniel Balaji?
Contrary to popular belief, Daniel Balaji was not his birth name but a stage name. Born as TC Balaji to a Telugu father and a Tamil mother in Chennai, he ventured into acting with the television show Chithi, where he adopted the name Daniel for his character. Director Sunder K Vijayan credited him as Daniel Balaji in the subsequent show Alaigal, marking the beginning of his journey as an actor.
Despite gaining fame on screen, Balaji initially followed aspirations of becoming a director and pursued a film direction course at the Taramani Film Institute.