Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai

Chennai, Nov 10: Tamil film actor Abhinay, best known for his role alongside Dhanush in his debut film Thulluvadho Illamai, passed away early Monday morning at his residence in Chennai. He was 44.

According to sources, the actor had been battling severe liver-related health issues for some time. Despite his condition, Abhinay continued to work, reportedly due to financial difficulties. Actors Dhanush and KPY Bala had earlier come forward to support him financially for his medical treatment.

Abhinay rose to prominence with Thulluvadho Illamai (2002), written by Selvaraghavan and directed by Kasthuri Raja, Dhanush’s brother and father, respectively. The coming-of-age drama, centered around six high school students, became a major commercial hit and launched both Dhanush and Abhinay into the spotlight.

Following his debut, Abhinay appeared in several Tamil and Malayalam films until 2014, after which his deteriorating health forced him to step away from acting. He later worked as a dubbing artiste before making a brief comeback earlier this year in director Abhishek Leslie’s Game of Loans.

In October, Abhinay attended a press meet for the film, which also starred Nivas Adithan, Ester Noronha, and Athvik Jalandhar. The movie, with music by Joe Costa and cinematography by Sabari, focused on the struggles faced by people burdened by modern-day loans.

Abhinay’s mortal remains will be kept at his residence in Kodambakkam for fans and colleagues to pay their final respects.