The Tamil film fraternity is paying their tributes to 'Captain' Vijayakanth, who passed away at 71 on December 28, 2023, in Chennai. A special memorial event organized by the Nadigar Sangam (South Indian Artistes' Association) remembering the late actor-politician on Friday evening, January 19, witnessed several notable Tamil cinema names pay their respects and recall the times they spent with him. Among them was 'Ulagayanayan' Kamal Haasan, who in an emotional speech spoke about the good qualities that made Vijayakanth who he was in cinema and politics, while also sharing about the bond they both had over the years.
Kamal Haasan started his speech about Vijayakanth by saying, "No rehearsal can be done for a day like this. After he became a huge star, he continued talking to me in the same way as he did at the beginning. The reason I don't know the difference between the names Vijayaraj or Vijayakanth is not me, but him. He was someone who faced a lot of criticism and humiliation, and rose to the top. He wanted nobody else to face the humiliation he went through and that's something that deserves praise. He was a voice for others."
Speaking about Vijayakanth's qualities that earned him a special place in the people's hearts, Kamal Haasan said, "Similar to the leading politicians in Tamil Nadu, I've seen massive crowds gather for him too and if there's a prized possession he's earned, that's me. Not many people know this, but I think this was on his birthday back in 1998. On the day he passed away, an article was published in a daily about an incident back in 1998. It was a news about three students who got admission to pursue engineering, but did not have the finance to join college. After reading the news, he called up the daily and arranged the finance for their studies and accommodation. This was 25 years back and those students must be living happily with their own children now. They won't forget what he did for them. Those who keep him in their memories will not forget him."
Kamal Haasan also shed light on the role Vijayakanth played in cinema and stated, "During the 1970 and 1980s, it won't suffice to say enough that Vijayakanth gave a shape to the anger and socio-politics in cinema. I said this when I went to pay my last respects to him that I like his justified anger among his many good qualities. He would ask what needs to be questioned even today in his trademark style irrespective of the place. And, that courage has helped the Nadigar Sangam on several occasions and the testimony is the actors who have gathered here today."
Concluding his statement by noting Vijayakanth's affection for everyone, Kamal Haasan said, "The first film he acted, Doorathu Idi Muzhakkam, was screened at a film festival, and it is his talent and the opportunities he got that earned him the name of a commercial hero. When Radharavi was talking about simplicity, he said that he would ask suggestions from his co-artistes. I did a guest role in one of his films and the love and respect he showed still resonates in me. All his friends have gathered here today. And, he's someone who will also call the people who he doesn't like because he has that courage. We can reflect upon and copy such qualities, and there's nothing wrong in that. It's a usual form of expression to say that there's nobody like him, but let us at least try to be like him. Goodbye Vijayakanth. Goodbye 'Captain'."
Watch Kamal Haasan's emotional speech about 'Captain' Vijayakanth in the video below:
