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He never played a character. He never appeared on screen. He just opened his mouth, and suddenly, a cartoon world felt completely real. That was the quiet magic of Peabo Bryson.
Veteran actor Rajesh, a familiar face in South Indian cinema, passed away on Thursday in Chennai after suffering a heart attack. He was 75.
With a career spanning over five decades, Rajesh acted in more than 150 films across Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu languages, leaving behind a rich legacy of versatile performances.
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Rajesh stepped into the limelight in 1974 with the Tamil film ‘Aval Oru Thodarkathai’, directed by the legendary K. Balachander. Over the years, he delivered memorable performances in films like ‘Kanni Paruvathile’, ‘Achamillai Achamillai’, ‘Andha 7 Naatkal’, and ‘Payanangal Mudivadhillai’.
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Starting off in lead roles, he eventually embraced character and supporting roles, sharing screens with multiple generations of stars.
Beyond the big screen, Rajesh was also active on television, and contributed his voice as a dubbing artiste. His passion for storytelling extended into writing as well. Off-screen, he had interests in politics and real estate, and recently served as chairman of the Tamil Nadu government’s M.G.R. Film and Television Institute.
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His sudden passing has left the film fraternity in shock. Tributes poured in from across the industry, reflecting the deep respect and affection he commanded.
Superstar Rajinikanth expressed his sorrow on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “The news of the untimely death of my close friend, actor Rajesh, is shocking to me. It brings immense sadness. He was a wonderful person. May his soul rest in peace.”
என்னுடைய நெருங்கிய நண்பர், நடிகர் ராஜேஷ் அவர்களின் அகால மரணச் செய்தி எனக்கு அதிர்ச்சியளிக்கிறது. மிகுந்த மன வேதனையைத் தருகிறது.
அருமையான மனிதர், அவருடைய ஆத்மா சாந்தியடையட்டும்.
அவருடைய குடும்பத்தினருக்கும், நண்பர்களுக்கும் என்னுடைய ஆழ்ந்த அனுதாபங்கள்.#ActorRajesh
— Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) May 29, 2025
Actress Radikaa Sarathkumar shared, “Deeply shocked and sudden to hear of #Rajesh’s unexpected demise. Shared so many movies together and had deep respect for his wide knowledge of cinema and life. He will be missed.”
Deeply shocked and sudden to hear of #rajesh s unexpected demise. Shared so many movies together and had a deep respect to his wide knowledge of cinema and life, will be missed by family, friends and film fraternity. #RIP pic.x.com/o0IQQaQtTU
— Radikaa Sarathkumar (@realradikaa) May 29, 2025
Producer G. Dhananjeyan also paid tribute, calling him “a fine actor and a respected person in the film industry,” and extended condolences to the family.
Rajesh is survived by his son Deepak and daughter Divya.
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