Delhi Ganesh, a veteran actor known for his work in Tamil cinema, passed away at 80 on Saturday night due to health issues. His son, Mahadevan, confirmed the news in an Instagram Story, sharing, “We deeply regret to inform that our father Mr. Delhi Ganesh has passed away on 9th November around 11 pm.”
Delhi Ganesh's acting career
Originally from Delhi, Ganesh began his acting journey with director K. Balachander in ‘Pattina Pravesam’ (1976). A former Indian Air Force serviceman, Ganesh had a passion for theater and was an active member of the Dakshina Bharata Nataka Sabha. His stage name, “Delhi Ganesh,” was given to him by Balachander, marking the start of a remarkable career that spanned over 400 films.
The actor starred in numerous hit films, with standout performances in ‘Sindhu Bhairavi’ (1985), ‘Nayakan’ (1987), ‘Apoorva Sagodharargal’ (1989), ‘Michael Madana Kama Rajan’ (1990), and ‘Thenali’ (2000). Delhi Ganesh also took on diverse roles in the Malayalam, Telugu, and Hindi film industries. His final appearance was in Kamal Haasan’s ‘Indian 2’.
Delhi Ganesh talks about Kamal Haasan
In 2021, Delhi Ganesh revealed that starring in Kamal Haasan’s films was instrumental in shaping his success in the industry. “I am fond of all the films I have done with Kamal Haasan; I think they fetched me the most recognition. Avvai Shanmughi, Thenali, Michael Madana Kama Rajan, and Apoorva Sagodharargal are some films that come to mind. Kamal gives a lot of space to actors, and he trusts you. That makes all the difference," he told Cinema Express.
Delhi Ganesh, known for his role in ‘Aranmanai 4’, also appeared in films across Malayalam, Telugu, and Hindi. He received the Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize in 1979 for his performance in Pasi and was honored with the Kalaimamani Award by the Tamil Nadu government in 1994.