Late actor-politician Vijayakanth is among the Padma Bhushan award winners this year. On Thursday, the centre announced that Vijayakanth will be honoured with the award posthumously. The news of the honour comes close to a month after the Desiya Murpoku Dravida Kazhagam leader died. Vijayakanth has been recognised for his contribution in the field of art and entertainment.
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 M. A. 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, Vijaykanth had signaled 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) (remade in Hindi as Andhaa Kaanoon in 1983 starring Amitabh Bachchan) Vaidehi Kaathirundaal (1984), Nooravathu Naal (1984), Oomai Vizhigal (1986), Amman Koil Kizhakkaalae (1986) and Poonthotta Kaavalkkaaran (1988), among many others. In 1988, he won the Best Actor Award at the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for his performance in Senthoora Poove. He bagged the Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize in 1996 for Thayagam.
In most movie, he played a one-man army that takes down terrorism, corruption, and injustice in a massy avatar. He often appeared in the role of a police officer in his films. In 1991, he earned the title ‘Captain’ after he headlined the film, Captain Prabhakaran.
By 2010, Vijaykanth had done over 150 films, his last being Virudhagiri in 2010 in which he played the role of a police officer yet again. He forrayed into politics after that and dedicated the rest of his life to it. He founded the political party, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK). He passed away on December 28.
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