CHENNAI: Writer, director, stage artist, film and television
actor
and talk-show host
Visu died in Chennai on Sunday. He was 74.
He was ailing for some time. Visu was undergoing dialysis in a hospital on the OMR.
His sudden demise brought gloom to the film industry. The tinsel town and his fans had a special place for Visu because he along with his brothers were the ones who took the initiative to do more films on family drama, emotions and inter-personal relationships.
Actor, drama thespian S Ve Shekher said they are ‘va, da’ (thick) friends.
"He was the first person to introduce my play in an outstation. It was staged in Bengaluru. I have acted 20 films with him and all have been box office hits. A man of emotions, Visu and I bonded over excellent comic sense.”
Shekher said some of the films that are memorable till today are “Chidambara Ragasiyam,” “Manal Kayiru,” “Mr Bharath” and “Dowry Kalyanam.”
“He was a large-hearted man. He would give financial and emotional support to anybody who cries for help. He will conduct at least 10 marriages a year for free,” Shekher said.
Actor and politician Khushbu Sundar said Visu was a man who valued time and money. “He knew how to make movies within a stipulated budget, with no frills attached. His scripts always spoke about women empowerment, a trend that was started by him many years ago.”
“I have done “Mannan” and “Va Magale Vaa” with him. The way he interacted with his colleagues was something nobody can forget. He was way ahead of his time,” added Khushbu.
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