After the demise of the great SP Bala last year, we got tragic news yesterday that the famous comedian, Vivek had passed away due to a heart attack. Image source: The Indian Express
Apparently, he was admitted to the hospital at about 11 am on Friday and underwent an angioplasty and stenting procedure and was in still ICU when he passed away at 4.35 am Saturday. According to news quoting the doctors, Vivek had a 100% blockage in the LAD (left anterior descending artery) vessel which led to the heart attack.
Tamil actor Vivek passed away in a Chennai hospital early on Saturday following a cardiac arrest. He was 59.
Vivek was admitted to the intensive care unit of the hospital on Friday morning after he suffered a heart attack. A medical bulletin said he underwent an “emergency coronary angiogram followed by angioplasty” on Friday.
Soon after he fell sick, there were claims that his illness was linked to him receiving the Covid-19 vaccine, following which the Tamil Nadu Health Department was forced to call a press meet to dispel the rumours.
Denying any links between his cardiac arrest and the vaccine shot he received, state Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said around 830 people were administered the Covaxin at the same hospital on Thursday and all of them were fine.
(Source)
The above was probably the last interview by comedian Vivek when he got his COVD19 vaccine the week before he passed away. Considering he was still young and did not have a history of illness, there are strong rumours that the vaccine had caused his death. After all, there are studies that show some people getting a blood clot after getting the COVID19 AstraZeneca vaccination, Covaxin is not a derivative of AstraZeneca but has its own controversies.
There are many good comedians in the Tamil cinema industry but what makes Vivek stands out above the rest is the message inside his jokes. There is nothing vulgar or demeaning but rather it is simple yet carries a strong social message.
In this movie Saamy (2003), he raised a few issues that are facing society with a number of strong messages. The messages in the movie were something that the late President of India, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam had noticed and became his personal favourite.
The policeman (played by his close friend and manager, Cell Murugan) asked Vivek (playing a Brahim priest) for traffic documentation with the intent to get a bribe. When Vivek showed all the documents, the policeman asks him to do an 8 on his bike and Vivek replies back that he will show 7.5 on his bike to a point the policeman loses one of his arms.
Another scene is when Vivek brings back a group of poor children for food. The family members refuse to give the children food but instead want to give to crows who represents ancestors. Other scenes related to children’s education which Vivek puts in his comedy in a very elegant way.
In the movie Velaiilla Pattadhari (2014), he plays a senior project manager who got appointed as the assistant to the younger and junior Dhanush. The best scene is when he says his mind sound aloud to the 2 guys that are in the same car (see time at 5.43).
In the movie Sakalakala Vallavan (2015), he plays a double role – bald, energetic elder brother with 2 wives and an unmarried weak younger brother. There is a nice message under the comedy about the husband & wife relationship.
Vivek is also famous for his environmental related works, namely President of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s inspired Green Kalam which its main mission is planting a billion trees for billion people all over the state of Tamil Nadu. In 2009, Vivek was awarded the title Padma Shri by the Indian Government which is the fourth-highest civilian award in the Republic of India.
Vivek will be missed but will not be forgotten.
May his soul rest in peace…