Former minister and Tamil film producer RM Veerappan has passed away due to age-related illness on Tuesday. He was 98.

Veerappan breathed his last after receiving treatment at a private hospital in Chennai.

Veerappan was a manager and later became an executive director of Em Gee Yar Pictures. The company produced MGR's Nadodi Mannan, Adimai Penn and Ulagam Suttrum Valiban.

Veerappan turned a producer himself in the banner Sathya Movies. He also doubled as a screenwriter of hit films of MGR such as Dheiva Thaai (1964), Kaavalkaaran (1967) and Rickshawkaran (1971). In his movies, Veerappan utilised MGR as a mascot of Dravidian ideology and principles.

However, RMV, as he is popularly known in film and political circles, tasted his biggest success yet as a producer with Rajinikanth-starrer Baashha.

As a politician, he has been a part of both MGR and Jayalalithaa's cabinet. RMV is known as the Man Friday of MGR in both his cinema and political career.

Curiously, he floated a political party named MGR Kazhagam and extended support to the DMK-led alliance.