Renowned director and actor TP Gajendran passed away on Sunday morning due to ill health. The 68-year-old reportedly received treatment for his illness but breathed his last in the wee hours of the day.

Gajendran is known for directing comedy films and has acted in many as a comedian as well.  He made his acting debut in 1985 with Chidambara Rahasiyam, in which he played the role of an advocate. He worked as an assistant director with directors like K Balachander, Visu, Ram Narayanan and others on almost 60 films. 

After performing in a few more films, in 1988, TP Gajendran debuted as a director with Veedu Manaivi Makkal which starred Visu, KR Vijaya, Pandian, and Seetha in lead roles. He has directed 16 films, out of which his series of films on the lives of middle-class people is the most popular. In the early 2000s Budget Padmanabhan, Middle Class Madhavan and Banda Paramasivan was released one after the other, bringing him acclaim for directing comedy films with a relatable subject.

Gajendran has done a number of comedy roles, some along with Vadivelu and Vivek as well. His performance in Pammal K Sambandham, Pithamagan, Perazhagan, Chandramukhi, Cheena Thaana 001, and Baana Kaathadi, among others, are some of the most celebrated ones. 

In 2015, TP Gajendran was chosen as the President of the Cinema Technicians Association. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has condoled the demise of the actor-director, who is also his college friend.