Padma Shri actor Vivekh no more, leaves behind rich cinematic legacy!

Tamil actor-comedian Vivekh passed away at the age of 59 on Saturday (April 17) in a tragic turn of events. To honour the legacy of the multitalented actor, here's a closer look at his journey in Tamil cinema and comedy.

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New Delhi: Actor-comedian Vivekanandan or Vivekh breathed his last on Saturday morning (April 17) at the SIMS hospital, Chennai. The actor was admitted to the hospital on Friday after suffering from a cardiac arrest. Unfortunately, he died the day after he was admitted.

Many actors and famous personalities took to social media to express grief over his death and pay tributes to the late actor.

Vivekh left a rich legacy in the field of the arts. The actor, a multitalented personality, also excelled as a comedian, television personality, playback singer and social activist during his career.

His contribution to the arts even received a Padma Shri award in 2009 and the Sathyabama University bestowed Vivekh with an honorary doctorate for his work in Tamil cinema.

To honour the Padma Shri award recipient and talented artist Vivekh, we take a closer look at his illustrious career and achievements.

Vivekh's initial years in Tamil cinema:

The actor Vivekanandan, better known as Vivekh, was born in Kovilpatti, Tamil Nadu. He made his acting debut in the 1987 film 'Manathil Urudhi Vendum' directed by veteran director late K.Balachander.

Even though he only appeared in supporting roles at the beginning of his career, he was in great demand with top heroes- Rajinikanth, Vijay, Ajith, Suriya and others and created a memorable impression on audiences.

Once he got a foothold as an actor, he became quite active in the industry and acted in over 220 films.

His unique style of comedy:

Vivekh had an inclination towards comedy since an early age. Before he made his way into Tamil cinema, the late actor would perform stand-up comedy at the Madras Humour Club during his free time and won the Best Entertainer Award at the club many times.

He established a socially conscious brand of comedy by making jokes on socially relevant and relatable issues in Tamil Nadu and India. Some of the topics he touched upon were potbellied policemen, Chennai's water scarcity woes, the poor state of roads and rivers in Chennai, the high handedness of both literate and illiterate politicians, superstitions, social stigma, issues close to the youth, among others.

His style of comedy wasn't just entertaining but also engaging as it made audiences aware of the issues around them and awakening a socially conscious attitude.

Vivekh's Awards and achievements:

Dr Vivekh was awarded the Padma Shri award in 2009 by the government and the Kalaivanar award from the Tamil Nadu government.

For his acting prowess, he won three Filmfare Awards for Best Comedian in Tamil for his performances in the films, 'Run', 'Saamy'  and 'Perazhagan' and five Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for Best Comedian for the films, 'Unnaruge Naan Irundhal' , 'Run', 'Parthiban Kanavu' , 'Anniyan' and 'Sivaji'.

The late actor was an admirer of former Indian President and scientist Dr APJ Abdul Kalam and had even interviewed him.

As a green warrior, Vivekh was also on a mission to plant saplings and conserve the environment. The actor was heavily inspired by Kalam's concern for the environment and which led him to launch the Green Kalam initiative in 2010 with the mission of planting one billion trees across Tamil Nadu. His Twitter bio reads that he has done 32.23 lac plantings so far.

The void created by his sudden demise cannot be filled again. May his soul rest in eternal peace!