Veteran Tamil actor Shanmugasundaram died on Tuesday after a prolonged illness, reported The Indian Express. The actor died at his Chennai residence after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 77.

Shanmugasundaram, who made his acting debut in 1963 with Ratha Thilagam, and had acted in more than 100 films. He became known for his role in the cult classic Karagattakaran (1989), where he had played actress Kanaka’s father. Shanmugasundaram , who played serious and villainous roles early in his career, took up comedic roles later on. This year, he had appeared in two films, Veruli and Anbanavan Asaradhavan Adangadhavan.

Condolences poured in from all walks of life.