MK Muthu, eldest son of Karunanidhi, passes away at 77

Chennai:  M. K. Muthu, the eldest son of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi, passed away on Saturday morning due to age-related ailments.

He was 77.

Muthu, who had been unwell for the past several days, breathed his last around 8 a.m. at his residence in Chennai.

He was the elder brother of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. Following the demise, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) cancelled all official events scheduled for the day.

His body will be kept for public homage at the Gopalapuram residence of his father, Karunanidhi.

Born to Karunanidhi and his first wife, Padmavathi, Muthu was a multi-faceted personality who made significant contributions to Tamil cinema and music before stepping into politics.

He made his acting debut in 1972 with Pillaiyo Pillai, where he played a dual role, and later starred in films such as Pookkari, Anayaa Vilakku, and Ellam Avale.

His on-screen charisma and physical resemblance to M.G. Ramachandran, the legendary actor and former Chief Minister, earned him considerable popularity. In addition to his acting career, Muthu also lent his voice as a playback singer.

His song Uyarndha Idathila Pirandhavan Naan from the film Anayaa Vilakku, shot at the Anna Nagar Clock Tower in Chennai, remains a cult classic among Tamil film music enthusiasts. Muthu’s association with the Dravidian movement began early, deeply influenced by his father Karunanidhi’s political legacy.

Though his foray into politics was brief, he continued to remain a part of the Dravidian ideological space throughout his life.

Chief Minister Stalin paid tribute to his elder brother in person and also expressed his grief through an emotional post on social media.

“The news of the passing of my beloved elder brother, MK Muthu, the eldest son of our family’s pillar Kalaignar, has struck me like lightning. He loved me as much as our parents did. I am deeply pained by the loss of someone so close to my heart,” CM Stalin wrote on his official ‘X’ handle.

He recalled that Karunanidhi had named Muthu after their grandfather Muthuveeran.

“Like our father, Muthu contributed to the Dravidian movement through theatre from a young age. He had a unique style in acting, dialogue delivery, and body language. It was this passion that drew him into cinema in the 1970s,” CM Stalin added.

–IANS