Rajesh: An actor who could traverse the arc of emotions

Actor Rajesh. File
| Photo Credit: R. Ashok

Actor Rajesh, who passed away on Thursday (May 29, 2025), had a dignified presence. His roles were rooted in reality and devoid of the frills associated with celluloid. In life, he could be many things, actor, dubbing artiste, author, teacher, YouTuber, and builder. And he left an imprint in all these fields.

When Tamil cinema moved from the MGR-Sivaji Ganesan era and stepped into the decades shaped by Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan from the late 1970s and early 1980s, Rajesh carved his own unique space. He could be the everyday man, your neighbour, the friendly officer, the warm villager, and to every role, he lent a depth.

In a tight frame with the camera just focused on his face, he could hold attention with nuanced expressions through eyes that conveyed a lot. Rajesh could traverse the whole arc, from infinite sadness to simmering anger.

Be it Achamillai Achamillai or Andha Ezhu Naatkal, the actor displayed a staggering range. In the former, he was an idealist losing his way in the cut and thrust of politics, and remained unapologetic about it. In the latter, he is this endearing husband trying to help his wife get back to her former lover.

If self-obsession defined one role, the second one was all about imminent sacrifice even if Andha Ezhu Naatkal, one of Mani Ratnam’s favourite screenplays, opted for a safe climax. Many viewers would remember the tapestry of this K. Bhagyaraj film, high on humour and pathos.

A particular scene marinated in sorrow still pulls the audience due to its innate irony. Bhagyaraj, the music composer, is creating a tune for a scene in which the hero’s mother passes away and in reality, Rajesh, who is narrating the story, had recently lost his mother too.

Something triggers, grief strikes and Rajesh breaks down, and Bhagyaraj presumes that it is the effect of his music. That moment when Rajesh tries to restrain himself and then completely gives himself up to an all-consuming sadness, is a fine vignette of acting.

Philosophical streak

As years passed, he started doing supporting roles, and also forged an equation with Kamal, and was seen in the star’s movies like Mahanadhi. An interview with Rajesh meant that diverse threads would crop up, be it films, literature, politics, atheism, and even astrology.

If there was a philosophical streak in him, equally there was a financial angle too, and it was no surprise when he forayed into the real-estate sector. There was an air of pragmatism to him, one that was evident in his roles and the way he dealt with life.

Much before Rajkiran and a few others got into the zone of actors offering relatability on screen, it was Rajesh, who walked that tightrope in an arena that was supposed to be surreal and dream-like. As Rajesh departs after 75 summers, the creative space in Tamil will be poorer.