Director Deekay: Mayilsamy sir was a director's actor

It was a gloomy Sunday for Tamil cinema fans as the news of veteran comedian Mayilsamy passing away broke this morning. With condolences pouring in from celebrities and fans alike, social media is rife with video clippings from the comic actor's filmography.

While there are a number of comedy clips doing the rounds to celebrate the legacy of Mayilsamy, there is a particularly poignant scene from director Deekay's Kavalai Vendaam that is also being shared widely. The scene features Mayilsamy and Jiiva, and the former tells that life is not just about living but celebrating.

Talking about his collaboration with Mayilsamy, Deekay says, "Mayilsamy sir is a director's actor, and very professional. Even if I asked him 10-15 takes, he would be patient about it and execute it well. For Kavalai Vendaam, we shot day and night, and he never once expressed discomfort about the extended shoots." 

Recalling Mayilsamy's benevolence, Deekay says, "I was a new director in Yaamirukka Bayamey, and yet he never shied away from doing what was expected." 

When asked about how he perceived Mayilsamy for a serious scene, Deekay says, "It was a very emotional scene. Even Kajal Aggarwal, who was not part of the scene, turned up at 6 am to see Mayilsamy and Jiiva perform for the scene. We took three takes, and every single person on the set felt emotional every single time."

In fact, Deekay shared that the poignant line that went, 'Vaazhkai vaazhradhukku kedaiyaadhu, kondaadradhukku' was something Mayilsamy told him during the post-release promotions of Yamirukka Bayamey, and it went on to become the baseline of his Kavalai Vendaam.

"He is one of my favourite actors. Mayilsamy sir is an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, and to see that he passed away on Mahashivarathri is just something divine. To think that I won't be able to have him in my films is saddening, but life is such," signs off an emotional Deekay.