Actor Periyadasan Passes Away

Tamil versatile actor Periyadasan passed away this morning, (Aug 20), in Chennai. He was 63.

Sources say that Periyadasan was affected by lung cancer, for which he was obtaining treatment in a private hospital where he breathed his last. He is survived by his wife Vasantha and two children, Valavan and Suratha.

Periyadasan has acted in nearly 15 films and his role in Karuthama won him the National award for the best actor.

Periyadasan has also acted in movies like Kadhalar Dhinam, Aiya, Azhagi, Anandham, Amma Appa Chellam and Tamil Padam. It is said that he was offered a role in Ajith's upcoming flick Veeram, but he could not commit himself to the movie because of his ill health.

Apart from the film industry, Peryadasan was also involved in politics, where he was a publicity secretary in Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) for quite a long time. The actor has also worked in Vaiko headed Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK).

During his younger days, Periyadasan was attracted towards the rationalist idea of Periyaar EV Ramaswamy, which inspired him to change his original name Sheshachalam to Periyadasan (Slave for Periyar).

In 2010, he got himself converted to Islam religion and changed his name to Abdulla Periyardasan. As his last wish, soon after his death, Periyadasan eyes were donated to Shankara Nethralaya, and his body was handed over to Madras Medical College.