Tearful adieu to Engal Anna

CHENNAI: Even as the famous song starring Vijayakanth, Andha Vaanathaippola Manam Padaicha Mannavane.. rented en route, the vehicle carrying Vijayakanth’s mortal remains found it difficult to traverse from Island Ground to Koyambedu as the final journey of Captain had to wade through a sea of grief-stricken crowd before being laid to rest with full State honours.

It was close to 3 pm after tens of thousands of people paid their last respects that the body of top yesteryear action star and founder-president of DMDK was taken for the final procession from the Island Grounds with slogans like “long live Captain” splitting the sky. The arterial EVR Road saw something unusual with mourners thronging both sides.

The hearse took well over three hours to traverse 10.7 kilometres before finally reaching the burial site on premises of DMDK headquarters in Koyambedu at around 6 pm.

ALSO READ: Captain laid to rest with full state honours

There, following a gun salute, a two-minute silence was observed as a mark of respect.

Chief Minister MK Stalin, State Ministers, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and celebrities were in attendance.

Earlier, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Governor RN Ravi, actors Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, and Prabhu were among the leaders and celebrities to visit the Island Grounds to pay their last respects.

Nirmala Sitharaman, who was accompanied by BJP state president K Annamalai and former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, also had a word from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to share: “Besides expressing his condolences, PM Modi gave me a clear guidance to come here and meet Captain’s family and take part in this mourning on behalf of the Union Government.”

The Union Finance Minister also placed a wreath on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

I am a fan of his anger: Kamal

Vijayakant’s movie competitor and Makkal Needhi Maiam president Kamal Haasan said if tags like simplicity, friendship, hard work and gratitude can be used to describe a person, it is Vijayakanth.

“The thing I liked about him was as much as there was humility there would be righteous anger. I am a fan of his anger and I believe that’s the reason why he batted for public service. Losing honest people like him feels somewhat lonely for people like me,” Kamal observed.

Naam Tamilar Katchi leader Seeman said, “The fact that thousands of people have come to get a final glimpse of Vijayakanth shows how much affection he has earned.”