Beloved actor Abhinay Kinger, perhaps best known for his role in 2002’s Thulluvadho Ilamai, has died.
Videos by Suggest
The 44-year-old Tamil-language performer passed away in Chennai, India, on Nov. 10 from liver disease, according to Dinamani.
Per The Indian Express, Abhinay reportedly suffered from liver disease for months, and his financial situation worsened as medical expenses mounted. He sought help from various film industry members, and his Thulluvadho Ilamai co-star, Dhanush, is said to have donated ₹5 lakh (about $5,650) toward his treatment.
Media reports stated that members of the South Indian Artistes’ Association were asked to oversee the actor’s last rites, as he had no surviving family.
Abhinay’s other film credits include Jjunction (2002), Singara Chennai (2004), Pon Megalai (2005), Solla Solla Inikkum (2009) and Palaivana Solai (2009).
He later worked as a dubbing artist, providing the voice for Vidyut Jammwal in Thuppakki (2012) and Anjaan (2014).
His financial situation worsened after the death of his mother, T. P. Radhamani, in 2019. The actor reportedly admitted to eating at government food shelters in recent years.
Actress Pens Thoughtful Tribute to Abhinay Kinger
According to Times Now News, actress Vijayalakshmi Ahathian wrote a heartfelt tribute to the late actor on Instagram. The star shared a lengthy post recalling the one time she worked with actor Kinger on a national commercial for WorldSpace Satellite Radio.
Though she noted Kinger was kind and a gentleman, she also noticed he had a drinking problem. She would spot him drinking after shoots in the hotel they were staying at.
“He was always there, finishing a bottle, lost in thought. It was heavy to watch someone so young drink in silence,” she wrote. “There was one question that had been burning in me, one I had promised myself not to ask. And yet, it came out effortlessly. ‘Why do you drink so much? You’re young, successful, doing well… why this habit?'”
“That’s when he opened up. He spoke about his life, his responsibilities, his mother, and the weight of being the provider. He spoke of the pressure, the pain, the loneliness. I didn’t say a word. I just listened,” she continued.
Ahathian wrote that she listened to Kinger for two hours.
“I let him empty his heart until he was tired, and almost peaceful. The next day at the airport, it was time to say goodbye. He looked at me and said.. ‘No one ever listened to my pain like that before. Thank you, Viji. Didn’t know God made girls like you. Let me know if you have a twin sister.'”
“I burst out laughing and gave him a hug. That was the last time I saw him,” she recalled.
Kinger’s last on-screen role will be in the film Game of Loans, set for release later this year.