Chennai, April 17(BPNS)

Tamil Film actor  Vivek who was a Padmasree awardee in 2009 passed away at a Chennai hospital on Saturday early morning. He was admitted to hospital on Friday after he suffered a massive heart attack with hundred percent blocks in his left artery. He was 59.

He underwent an angioplasty and stenting procedure on Friday for a  complete block in a critical blood vessel of the heart at the  SIMS hospital, Vadapalani. He was on ECMO support at the hospital.

The medical bulletin issued by the hospital said “Actor Vivek passed away at 4.30 am on Saturday”.

Hospital Vice President Dr Raju Sivaswamy said that the sudden heart attack was due to an acute coronary syndrome with a cardiogenic shock. The hospital also said that the attack was not related to the Covid vaccine he has taken on Thursday. Tests and CT reports showed that he did not have Covid 19.

On Thursday the actor was declared as the State’s ambassador for creating public health messages. He took Covaxin in Tamil Nadu government Multi Super specialty hospital in Chennai and urged many others to come forward to take the vaccine.

Vivek started his carrier as script writer and assistant director to K Balachander in the 1980’s and the renowned director  cast offered him a small role in the 1987 movie, “Manathil Urudhi Veendum”.

The actor had developed a close bonding with former president late APJ Abdul Kalam and had planted several trees following his advice. He was planning to plant a billion trees across Tamil Nadu and had attended several awareness classes with school children on planting of trees.

Vivek leaves behind is wife and two daughters. His son has passed away a few years before due to dengue and brain fever.