It was a gloomy Sunday for Tamil cinema fans as veteran comedian Mayilsamy passed away due to cardiac arrest. Having worked with some of the most prominent names in the industry, the 57-year-old actor/comedian was best known for appearing in films like Aboorva Sagodharargal, Pannakkaran, Dhool, Vaseegara, Ghilli, Giri, Uthamaputhiran, Veeram, Kanchana, LKG and the recently released Nenjuku Needhi and Veetla Vishesham.
He was also known for his stint in Television. Mayilsamy made his debut on Tamil television on the show Comedy Time and went on to act in the thriller-drama Marmadesam. When we reached out to members of the Tamil film community to ask about their experience working with Mayilsamy, they had nothing but kind words to say about the man and went on to give us an idea about how his personality behind screens had impacted their lives.
Sarathkumar
Mayilsamy was my dear friend, he was a great human being and one of the finest actors in the industry. He was also good at expressing his thoughts and philosophical ideas through his speeches. He started his journey in the film industry in 1984. With a career spanning over three decades, his untimely demise is a big loss for the Tamil film industry. His performances as a comedian and as a supporting actor will stay in the memory of Tamil cinema fans forever and will keep his legacy alive. I send my deepest condolences to his family, relatives, and friends in the industry.
Chinni Jayanth
Mayilsamy and I worked on more than twenty films. Our first film together was Ennarukil Nee Irunthal in 1991. When I was in college they released a cassette that had a compilation of his mimicry acts, that’s when I first heard about him. He is also the best at mimicking sound effects, especially Kung Fu sounds. He was such a wonderful human being. He was very outspoken about his lack of education so he truly understood its value. When he heard that my son became an IAS officer, he was very happy about it. When I went to console his family at the funeral, his wife recalled how he was talking about my son with such pride just days before.
Arunraja Kamaraj
I have still not recovered from the shock after hearing the news of his demise. Although I worked with him only for a very short period, he would take care of all of us on the sets of Nenjuku Needhi like a father. You can hear from my voice about the kind of impact he had on me. While filming, he never had the attitude of a senior and experienced artist. He was friendly with everybody and always had fun with us. He wanted to work with me in all my future films. I am still unable to digest the fact that he is no more.
Radhakrishnan Parthiban
A crucial part of our world’s collective empathy has just died. Social awareness and care towards a society is something everyone should have but it was even more pronounced in Mayilsamy. He came up from nothing and grew to be someone with a giant heart. A lot of us keep our societal care within ourselves but Mayilsamy is bold and outspoken, he’ll take the stage, hold the mic and boldly talk about everything he believed in.
Deekay
Mayilsamy sir is a director’s actor, and very professional. Even if I asked him 10-15 takes, he would be patient about it and execute it well. For Kavalai Vendaam, we shot day and night, and he never once expressed discomfort about the extended shoots. I was a new director in Yaamirukka Bayamey, and yet he never shied away from doing what was expected He is one of my favourite actors. Mayilsamy sir is an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, and to see that he passed away on Mahashivarathri is just something divine. To think that I won’t be able to have him in my films is saddening, but life is such.
Radha Mohan
We worked together on four films. He is such a natural talent and whatever we see in films is just a small part of his prowess. He is such a kind human too, he will call us before the start of the shooting and will ask us not to eat and then he would arrive with food for all of us. He was such a big foodie, he knew which food to buy in which hotel in Tamil Nadu. He derives happiness from helping others, and we all know how much he helped people during COVID times. When you ask him about it, he will just laugh and move on. I personally know how he even borrowed money to help, and he never expects anything in return.
Mayilsamy
Oct 02, 1965 - Feb 19, 2023
Age: 57