'I owe my career to him', Sonu Sood remembers how 'Captain' Vijayakanth launched him

Actor Sonu Sood paid his heartfelt tributes to the late Captain Vijayakanth, who passed away on December 28 due to Covid infection. In his note, Sood remembered how the Tamil hero chose him for his first ever appearance in tinsel screen in 'Kallazhagar'. The bollywood actor shared a picture of himself from over two decades ago, which caught the attention of Vijayakanth, landing him the antagonist role in the movie.

Hyderabad: Kollywood actor and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) founder Vijayakanth passed away at the age of 71 due to Covid-19 on Thursday in Chennai. To pay tribute to the late actor Vijayakanth, actor Sonu Sood took to his social media handle and reminisced stating that Vijayakanth had gifted him his debut film Kallazhagar. Sonu also expressed his gratitude for the opportunity and credited his success to the late actor.

Taking to the microblogging site X, previously known as Twitter, Sonu shared a picture of Vijayakanth, followed by a video scene from the movie Kallazhagar. Helmed by Bharathi, this Tamil action drama film starred Vijayakanth, Laila, Nassar, Sonu Sood and Manivannan. It was released on February 6, 1999. Sharing the visuals, he wrote, "Kallazgar my first film ever, was a gift from the legend VIJAYKANTH sir.. He came across this still of mine and in no time I was filming with him.. I owe my career to him .. Will miss you so much sir. RIP CAPTAIN."

Earlier today, the party announced via a post that Vijayakanth had been admitted to a hospital due to breathing difficulties and was put on ventilator support. His mortal remains were brought to his place and will soon be taken to the DMDK office. Vijayakanth had previously been admitted to the MIOT Hospital in Chennai in November when his health deteriorated. He had suffered from coughing and throat pain, requiring a 14-day observation by doctors.

Popularly known as 'Captain', Vijayakanth had a notable career in the Tamil film industry, appearing in a total of 154 films before venturing into politics. During his tenure at Nadigar Sangam, officially known as the South Indian Artistes' Association (SIAA), Vijayakanth brought about revolutionary changes in the South Indian film industry. Additionally, he served twice as a member of the Legislative Assembly, representing the Virudhachalam and Rishivandiyam constituencies.

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