Tamil actor Junior Balaiah (70) dies: His best roles
What's the story
Tamil actor Raghu Balaiah, fondly called Junior Balaiah, who had made a name in the South Indian film industry due to his supporting character portrayals, passed away on Thursday morning.
He was 70 and reportedly breathed his last at his residence in Chennai's Valasaravakkam.
Suffocation/breathing issues are said to be the cause of his death.
We remember him through his most notable films.
Background
But first, learn a little about his career, personal life
He was the son of late actor TS Balaiah, which is how he began to be called Jr. Balaiah.
He stepped into the world of films through Melnattu Marumagal (1975) and went on to star in movies such as Karagattakaran, Pavithra, Mayabazaar 1995, Om Shanthi Om, Puli, Winner.
Also active on the religious front, he laid the foundation of Healing Stripes Ministry in TN.
#1
'Nerkonda Paarvai'
In 2019, he appeared in Ajith starrer Nerkonda Paarvai, which is a remake of Amitabh Bachchan-Taapsee Pannu-Angad Bedi's Pink.
Its ensemble cast includes Shraddha Srinath, Abhirami Venkatachalam, Jayaprakash, Uday Mahesh, and Arjun Chidambaram, along with Vidya Balan in a special appearance.
Helmed and co-written by H Vinoth and produced by Boney Kapoor, it was a critical and commercial success.
#2
'Yennanga Sir Unga Sattam'
Yennanga Sir Unga Sattam was reportedly Junior Balaiah's last film and was released in October 2021 on SonyLIV.
Starring RS Karthiik, Ayraa, and Soundarya Bala Nandakumar, the Prabhu Jeyaram directorial translates to "What is your law, sir?"
Produced by Sudhan Sundaram and G Jayaram, it attracted mixed reviews.
Interestingly, the first and the second half are two different movies, which converge eventually.
#3
'Puli'
Though the multistarrer Puli may not have done as well as it was meant to, it is still remembered for its ensemble cast, special effects, and the deeply embedded fantasy elements.
Apart from Junior Balaiah, this Chimbu Deven project rests on the experienced cast of Sridevi, Thalapathy Vijay, Tinnu Anand, and Sudeep, alongside newer age stars like Hansika Motwani and Shruti Haasan.
#4
'Thani Oruvan'
In Mohan Raja's Thani Oruvan, Balaiah played the role of a social activist and the film was fronted by Nayanthara, Jayam Ravi, Ganesh Venkatraman, and Arvind Swami.
Its IMDb description reads, "Siddharth Abimanyu, an influential scientist, is involved in various illegal medical practices. Mithran, an efficient IPS officer, decides to expose him."
The action drama film is streaming on MX Player.