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Days after music composer Deva's death, his nephew and actor Karthik Sabesh dies

Actor Karthik Sabesh, son of late composer Sabesh, died on October 20 after an illness.

Updated on: Oct 20, 2026, 14:26:30 IST
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Tamil actor Karthik Sabesh passed away on Tuesday, October 20. He was the son of late music composer Sabesh, one half of the popular music director duo Sabesh–Murali. According to a report by News18 Kannada, Karthik was 37 and died after suffering from an illness. His death comes just days after his uncle, music composer Deva, passed away at the age of 75 on October 17, 2026, following a massive cardiac arrest.

About Karthik Sabesh's death

Karthik Sabesh was nephew of music composer Deva.
Karthik Sabesh was nephew of music composer Deva.

Karthik worked in Tamil cinema and appeared in films such as Dham, Vallavan, Pattathu Yaanai, Udhayam NH4, Burma, Kadhal Solla Vandhen and Kulir 100°. As per reports, his last rites were scheduled to take place at the Valasaravakkam burial ground in Chennai at 4.30 pm on Tuesday. Actors Ramesh Thilak and Jai arrived at Karthik's residence and were seen paying their last respects to the actor.

About Deva's death

Several celebrities, including Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, mourned his death. Rajinikanth appeared visibly emotional when he visited the composer's residence to pay his last respects.

Rajinikanth also shared a video message mourning the composer's demise. Deva composed music for three of the actor's films: Annamalai, Baasha and Arunachalam. Rajinikanth recalled that all three films were major successes and spoke about his decision to work with AR Rahman on Padaiyappa.

He said, "When my friends insisted on opting for A R Rahman while making ‘Padaiyappa’, I went to Deva and told him that I was opting for A R Rahman, he stood up, held my hand and said, ‘Please, by all means, do so.’ I told Deva that I did not want him to mistake me. He replied, ‘I am saying this with happiness, please go ahead. That boy (A R Rahman) is coming up well. Please do well. I am very happy. It is my good fortune that I have done three films with you.’"

Rajinikanth also described the late composer as “a person of pure gold”.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vibha Maru

Vibha Maru is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times Entertainment, based in Delhi. With a decade of experience across digital and print media, she covers Bollywood, Hollywood and web shows. A self-confessed cinephile who breathes Hindi cinema, Vibha can often be found sacrificing sleep after binge-watching films and web series. Though she holds a Commerce degree, she discovered her true calling in journalism after enrolling at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC). She began her career covering Delhi's cultural scene, food, nightlife, concerts, and city life at The Times of India, before moving into full-time entertainment journalism with India Today. At India Today, Vibha interviewed some of the biggest names in Bollywood and television while carving a niche for herself through film reviews, opinion pieces, nostalgic features, celebrity interviews, and trend-driven stories. She later brought her storytelling and editorial expertise to The Indian Express, where she continued to deepen her understanding of cinema through long-form entertainment explainers, retrospectives and feature writing. Now, as Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times Entertainment, Vibha continues to chronicle the world of movies and pop culture. Her work spans breaking entertainment news, exclusive interviews, celebrity features, and stories that capture the conversations shaping Indian cinema.

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