Veteran 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’s Pattina Pravesam 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 (1987) and Michael Madhana Kama Rajan (1990).
Ganesh’s contributions to cinema were recognized with awards, including the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for his role in Pasi (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.
Though it’s impossible to narrow down Ganesh’s best work from such a vast career, here are our personal picks:
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 “Delhi” to distinguish him from other actors with the same name, such as Sivaji, Gemini, and Jai.
Pasi (1979): The National Award-winning film ‘Pasi’ featured Delhi Ganesh as a cycle-rickshaw puller who, despite being the breadwinner of a struggling family, is also a drunkard—one of several burdens his daughter has to cope with.
Engamma Maharani (1981): Before becoming one of Tamil cinema’s most notable supporting actors, Delhi Ganesh played the lead role in ‘Engamma Maharani’, portraying a happy family man whose life unravels when he enters into an affair
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.
Chidambara Rahasiyam (1985): In actor-director Visu’s 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.
Nayakan (1987): A cult classic of Tamil cinema, ‘Nayakan’ 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 ‘Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu’.
Apoorva Sagodharargal (1989): Kamal Haasan’s collaborations with Ganesh, especially in comedy, deserve a list of their own. Perhaps the most iconic is ‘Apoorva Sagodharargal’, where Ganesh played Francis Anbarasu, one of the villains responsible for the death of a righteous cop — only to be avenged by the cop’s dwarf son using a Rube Goldberg machine. The scene was later parodied in ‘Thamizh Padam’ (2010), with Ganesh reprising his role.
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’s best scenes. Kamal planned a spinoff for this character titled ‘Londonil Kameshwaran’, but ultimately produced ‘Nala Damayanthi’ (2003) instead.
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’s incurred for him since birth. His role as a comical father spawned a slew of memes, and his iconic scenes from ‘Ayan’ (“Paiyan pudichitan”) and ‘Aethiree’ (“Joke’u joke’u” with Vivek) have become part of Tamil meme culture.
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 ‘Irumbu Thirai’. As the happy-go-lucky Rangarajan 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.
Published - November 10, 2024 01:01 pm IST
