Tamil film director and actor Manobala passed away at the age of 69. He was taking treatment for a liver ailment at his residence, where he breathed his last on Wednesday. Reportedly, the actor underwent angiotherapy treatment at a private hospital earlier this year.
Manobala was known for his comic roles and was widely appreciated across the Tamil film industry. The film fraternity and his fans poured in their condolences. From Rajinikanth to Prem Kumar, his colleagues penned heartfelt notes to pay tribute to the actor. Actor Vijay’s fans shared tweets with pictures and clips showing the close bond shared between the two.
Manobala debuted as an actor and assistant director in the Bharathiraja film Puthiya Vaarpugal in 1979. Since then, he has acted in more than 300 films. Manobala has also directed 24 films, including the Rajinikanth starrer Oorkavalan. His recent hits include the likes of Bigil and Maari 2.
He was last seen in Kajal Agarwal’s horror-comedy Ghosty and was also seen in the Telugu movie Waltair Veerayya, starring Chiranjeevi and Ravi Teja. He also had upcoming projects lined up, including Kick, Indian 2, Haraa and others. Manobala was known for his self-deprecating humour and has earned a big fan following in his career spanning over four decades.
