Kadhal Mannan Gemini Ganesan passed away !

[madhu]

Actor Gemini Ganesan passed away today morning in Chennai !

Let is soul rest in peace !

[madhu]

A news flash from sify..

'Gemini' Ganesan, the popular Tamil film hero of yesteryear, died at his residence past midnight after prolonged illness, his family said.

He was 84 and is survived by seven daughters and a son.

Popular Hindi actress Rekha is one of his daughters. Ji Ji, another daughter, has also acted in a couple of Tamil films.

His end came at 1.30 am.

Ganesan in his long film career spanning over five decades had acted in more than 200 films, including a few in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.

He was not keeping good health for the past two months and was in and out of hospital.

Ganesan was one of the "Big Three" of Tamil cinema, the other two being the late MG Ramachandran and Sivaji Ganesan.

Fondly known as "Kadhal Mannan" (King of romance), Ganesan had acted in several box-office hits during his heydays between 1950 and 1970 and paired with then top heroines such as Savithri, whom he later married, Saroja Devi, former Rajya Sabha member Vaijayanthi Mala, "Sowcar" Janaki and Devika.


Prominent among his hit films are "Vanjikottai Valiban", "Kalyana Parisu", "Missiamma", "Pasamalar", "Panama Pasama" and "Iru Kodugal".

Ganesan, hailing from a orthodox Brahmin family, was one of the few graduates to enter the film world in those days.

After working as a lecturer in the Madras Christian College, he joined the Gemini Studios as a production executive in 1947, which gave him the title 'Gemini'.

After minor roles in a few films, he was made a hero by the AVM Productions at the age of 30 and "Penn" and "Kanavane Kan Kanda Deivam" gained him star status.

One of his daughters is Dr Kamala Selvaraj, a renowned city-based gynaecologist.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had recently called on the octogenarian actor at his residence to enquire about his health.

Ganesan never tried his hand in politics unlike Sivaji Ganesan and MGR, the latter went on to become Chief Minister in 1977.

In his latter years too, Ganesan acted in a few films like the Kamal Hassan-starrer "Avvai Shanmughi" and "Unnal Mudiyum Thambi".

A Padmashree receipient in 1971, Ganesan had also won several other prestigious awards such as the "Kalaimamani Award", "MGR Gold Medal" and "Screen Life Time Achivement Award".

[rajraj]

May his soul rest in peace.

[RC]

Its a shocking news.. May his sould rest in peace...

[Nitya]

I don't want to be offensive to anyone who feels sad because of this. If he had chronic illness, death must've been somewhat of a blessing for Gemini. And he was old too. He was in his mid-80s. Anyway, my condolences.

[Cinefan]

May his soul rest in peace.

[Cinefan]

http://in.rediff.com/movies/2005/mar/22kamal.htm

Kamal on Gemini.


http://in.rediff.com/movies/2005/mar/22ganesan.htm

Another obituary.(Badri,Itha konjam padingappa)

[Raghu]

Deepest condolences, may his Athma attain Mukthi

[teja]

...

[Cinefan]

http://in.rediff.com/movies/2005/mar/23jaya.htm

One of his daughters remembers her father.