Delhi Ganesh, a great supporting actor is no more

Actor Delhi Ganesh. File | Photo Credit: S.S. Kumar

Tamil actor Delhi Ganesh, who excelled in supporting roles and gave his talent its fullest expression in the character Samanathu, a sadist, in the short tele-film Payasam, based on writer T. Janakiraman’s short story, died in Chennai on Saturday night. He was 80 and is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.  

He effortlessly played the role of a mridhangam player Gurumoorthy in Sindhu Bhairavi, Iyer in Nayagan, cook Palghat Mani Iyer in Michael Madana Kamarajan, Sethurama Iyer in Avvai Shanmugi, psychiatrist in the film Thenali and villain Francis Anbarasu in the Apoorva Sagothararkal.  

His involvement in theatre during his Delhi days had given him a strong foundation in action. Three years after his entry into the film world, he won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize for his role as rickshaw puller Muniyandi in the film Pasi even in 1979. 

“Ganesh was known as Delhi Ganesh since he worked in the Indian Air Force and later as a stenographer in the Food Corporation of India in Chennai, before pursuing acting a full-time career. He was active in the Delhi-based theatre troupe, Dakshina Bharata Nataka Sabha,” said K. Venkatachalam, a Tamil film historian.

While working in Chennai he joined Kathadi Ramamurthi’s troupe. His role as Kuselar in the play Dowry Kalyanam drew the attention of director K. Balachandar who offered him a role in Pattina Pravesam. He played the lead role in the film Engamma Sabatham. 

Though he had acted with other actors and in a lot of films, Ganesh used to say that his roles in Kamal Haasan starrers earned him a name. It was Kamal Haasan, who encouraged a diffident Ganesh to do a full comedy role in Avvai Shanmugi.  

Published - November 10, 2024 10:32 am IST