Chennai: Veteran actor Ganesan, widely known as Delhi Ganesh, passed away around 11.30 pm on Saturday in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He was 80. His funeral will be held on Sunday.
Born in 1944, Ganesan had a prolific career, appearing in over 400 films, predominantly in Tamil, with roles in Telugu and Hindi movies as well as television serials. Before entering the film industry, he was a member of the Delhi-based theatre troupe Dakshina Bharata Nataka Sabha. Ganesan also served in the Indian Air Force from 1964 to 1974, after which he shifted his focus to acting.
Ganesan received the Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize for his performance in Pasi (1979) and was later honoured with the prestigious Kalaimamani award in 1994 by then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
Among his standout performances in Tamil cinema are Sindhu Bhairavi (1985), Nayakan (1987), Michael Madana Kama Rajan (1990), Aahaa..! (1997), and Thenali (2000). He also left a mark in Malayalam cinema with memorable roles in films like Dhruvam (1993), Devaasuram (1993), Kaalapani (1996), Keerthi Chakra (2006), and Pokkiri Raja (2010), among others.