Captain Vijayakanth honoured with Padma Bhushan posthumously

CHENNAI: Legendary actor and founder of Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), Captain Vijayakanth, who passed away on December 28, 2023 at the age of 71, has been conferred with the Padma Bhushan posthumously by the Union Government on Thursday, January 25.

Captain Vijayakanth was recognised with Padma Bhushan for his contribution in the field of art and entertainment.

This comes close to a month after his demise in December last year.

Actor-Politician Captain Vijayakanth awarded Padma Bhushan posthumously in the field of Art.#Vijayakanth #CaptainVijayakanth #Captain#DMDK #PadmaBhushan pic.twitter.com/182ej6dw8J

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However, Vijayakanth’s wife and DMDK general secretary Premalatha on Friday said their ‘Captain’ has been conferred with the Padma Bhushan belatedly.

“We would have been very happy if he had been given the Padma Bhushan when he was alive. Anyway, we thank the Union government for honouring Captain Vijayakanth with such a distinguished award after 30 days of his demise,” Premalatha told reporters in the city.

Born as Vijayaraj Alagarswami in 1952 in Madurai, he came to be known by his screen name Vijayakanth and the popular moniker ‘Captain’.

Minutes after the announcement, BJP state president K Annamalai thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for conferring the Padma Bhushan to Captain.

“On behalf of Tamil Nadu BJP, we thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for conferring the Padma Bhushan award posthumously to Captain Vijayakanth. Captain had a distinguished film career and was a true leader who made his indelible mark in the history of Tamil Nadu politics with his people-centric approach,” Annamalai said in a social media post.

“As precisely said by PM Modi in his special tribute to Captain Vijayakanth, he is an embodiment of the social ethos of his time and was truly a Captain for everyone,” he added.

Vijayakanth was among the most popular Tamil actors since the 1980s.

He began his career as an actor in 1979, making two films in his debut year.

He starred in Inikkum Ilamai, directed by MA Kaja in which he played the role of a villain in the film.

He then starred in Agal Vilakku, directed by R Selvaraj, which marks his first film in the leading role.

Having done two roles that were poles apart, Vijayakanth had signalled to the Tamil film industry that he could do any kind of role if given a chance.

The actor appeared in several films in the 1980s, including Sattam Oru Iruttarai (1981), later remade in Hindi as Andhaa Kaanoon in 1983 starring Amitabh Bachchan, Vaidehi Kaathirundaal (1984), Nooravathu Naal (1984), Oomai Vizhigal (1986), Ammal Koil Kizhakkaalae (1986) and Poonthotta Kaavalkkaaran (1988), among many others.

In 1988, Vijayakanth won the Best Actor award at the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for his performance in Senthoora Poove.

Special Prize in 1996 for Thayagam.

Identified as an actor playing lead roles propagating revolutionary and radical ideas in movies like Sivappu Malli and Jaadhikkoru Needhi even in the early years of his career, Vijayakanth later earned the Name Puratchi Kalaignar (revolutionary actor) for echoing the pains and rights of the marginalised and underprivileged.

His ‘Poradada, Vaalenthada’ song composed by Ilaiyaraaja for the 1985 movie Alai Osai is an anthem of the 21st Dalit activists too.

He did not mind bearing the ‘Hammer and Sickle’ insignia of the Marxists in many a movie and that too during ‘conservative’ rule of the then Congress party.

During an illustrious career spanning over three decades and acting in over 150 movies, the movie industry also saw the leader in him when he took on the mantle of the South Indian Film Artists’ Association.

It was under his aegis that the association was cleared of its deep debt, thanks to the overseas cultural shows he had organised in Malaysia.’

Vijayakanth, made it a rule to provide food to the cine workers on par with the movie heroes in the sets of his production.