On Thursday, Tamil Nadu woke up to the most unfortunate news of the demise of actor and politician Vijayakanth. The 71-year-old passed away after being diagnosed with pneumonia. While politicians and members of the film fraternity are grieving as they reel in the news, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to his official X account to pen a note on his demise. 

He wrote, "Extremely saddened by the passing away of Thiru Vijayakanth Ji. A legend of the Tamil film world, his charismatic performances captured the hearts of millions. As a political leader, he was deeply committed to public service, leaving a lasting impact on Tamil Nadu’s political landscape. His passing leaves a void that will be hard to fill. He was a close friend and I fondly recall my interactions with him over the years. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with his family, fans and numerous followers. Om Shanti."

A prolific actor, who was fondly called Captain, Vijayakanth was born on August 25, 1952, and predominantly worked in Tamil films. He also served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from 2011 to 2016 and was the president of the political party Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam.

He is survived by his wife Premalatha and two sons.