V<\/span>eteran Tamil actor Delhi Ganesh passed away on November 9 at the age of 80 due to age-related health issues, according to a statement from his family. A prolific figure in Tamil cinema, Ganesh made his debut in 1976 in K. Balachander\u2019s Pattina Pravesam<\/em> and went on to appear in over 400 films across Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam languages. Known for his versatile acting, he portrayed a wide range of characters, from supporting roles to central figures, in films such as Nayakan<\/em> (1987) and Michael Madhana Kama Rajan<\/em> (1990).<\/p>\n Ganesh\u2019s contributions to cinema were recognized with awards, including the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for his role in Pasi<\/em> (1979) and the Kalaimamani Award in 1994. He also worked in television and short films, broadening his impact in later years. His last rites are scheduled for today, November 10, in Chennai.<\/p>\n Though it\u2019s impossible to narrow down Ganesh\u2019s best work from such a vast career, here are our personal picks:<\/p>\n Pattina Pravesam (1977): Delhi Ganesh, along with Sivachandran and Sarath Babu, made his acting debut in this K. Balachander directorial. It was the legendary director himself who gave Ganesh the moniker \u201cDelhi\u201d to distinguish him from other actors with the same name, such as Sivaji, Gemini, and Jai.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Pasi (1979): The National Award-winning film \u2018Pasi\u2019 featured Delhi Ganesh as a cycle-rickshaw puller who, despite being the breadwinner of a struggling family, is also a drunkard\u2014one of several burdens his daughter has to cope with.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Engamma Maharani (1981): Before becoming one of Tamil cinema\u2019s most notable supporting actors, Delhi Ganesh played the lead role in \u2018Engamma Maharani\u2019, portraying a happy family man whose life unravels when he enters into an affair<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Sindhu Bhairavi (1985): In yet another K. Balachander film, Delhi Ganesh played Gurumoorthy, a gifted mridangam player in the band of JKB (Sivakumar). He is dismissed for his drinking habits, only for his mentor to later succumb to the very same vice.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Chidambara Rahasiyam (1985): In actor-director Visu\u2019s comedy thriller, Delhi Ganesh initially appears as a refined gentleman helping his son and friends solve a crime. However, spoiler alert: he is later revealed to be the underworld gangster causing the chaos.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Nayakan (1987): A cult classic of Tamil cinema, \u2018Nayakan\u2019 marked the first collaboration between Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam. Delhi Ganesh played Iyer, the loyal sidekick who supports Velu Naicker as he rises from a smuggler to an underworld don. Ganesh reprised this role in the 2022 film \u2018Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Apoorva Sagodharargal (1989): Kamal Haasan\u2019s collaborations with Ganesh, especially in comedy, deserve a list of their own. Perhaps the most iconic is \u2018Apoorva Sagodharargal\u2019, where Ganesh played Francis Anbarasu, one of the villains responsible for the death of a righteous cop \u2014 only to be avenged by the cop\u2019s dwarf son using a Rube Goldberg machine. The scene was later parodied in \u2018Thamizh Padam\u2019 (2010), with Ganesh reprising his role.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Michael Madana Kama Rajan (1990): In this Kamal Haasan classic, MMKR, Ganesh played Palakkad Mani Iyer, a cook who adopts one of four quadruplets. The humorous interactions between Mani Iyer and his son Kameshwaran provide some of the film\u2019s best scenes. Kamal planned a spinoff for this character titled \u2018Londonil Kameshwaran\u2019, but ultimately produced \u2018Nala Damayanthi\u2019 (2003) instead.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga (2013): This comedy-drama with an unexpected emotional core starred Ganesh as the retired father of a wayward son, who keeps a record of all the expenses he\u2019s incurred for him since birth. His role as a comical father spawned a slew of memes, and his iconic scenes from \u2018Ayan\u2019 (\u201cPaiyan pudichitan\u201d) and \u2018Aethiree\u2019 (\u201cJoke\u2019u joke\u2019u\u201d with Vivek) have become part of Tamil meme culture.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Irumbu Thirai (2018): Delhi Ganesh was no stranger to father roles in his decades-long career but arguably the best one was at the fag end of his career in the Vishal-starrer \u2018Irumbu Thirai\u2019. As the happy-go-lucky\u00a0Rangarajan who has been anything but an ideal father for his son, Ganesh aced the role of an incompetent father for whom his family mattered more than his pride and honour.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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