Rajinikanth mourns death of close friend Rajesh: ‘Causes me great heartache’

After news broke of veteran actor Rajesh's death, Rajinikanth penned a note on X about how much he'll miss his friend.

Updated on: May 29, 2025, 13:03:56 IST

By Neeshita Nyayapati

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Tamil star Rajinikanth is deeply saddened by the sudden death of his close friend, veteran actor Rajesh, aka Rajesh Williams, on Thursday. He penned a note on X (formerly Twitter), writing about how the news has left him heartbroken. (Also Read: Veteran actor Rajesh dies in Chennai at 75, Radhika Sarathkumar sends condolences)

Rajinikanth with his friend, veteran actor Rajesh, who died on 29 May.

Rajinikanth mourns Rajesh’s death

Rajinikanth sent condolences to Rajesh’s family on Thursday and wrote of how much he’ll miss his friend on X. He wrote in Tamil, “The news of the untimely death of my close friend, actor Rajesh, shocked me and caused me great heartache. A wonderful man, may his soul rest in peace. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.” Fans in the comments remembered Rajesh’s fondness for Rajinikanth, posting pictures of when they spent time together. Many comments also expressed shock at the sudden death.

Rajesh dies at 75 in Chennai

On Thursday morning, Rajesh complained of low blood pressure and died on the way to the hospital. His nephew confirmed the same to DT Next. He is survived by daughter Divya and son Deepak. His wife, Joan Sylvia Vanathirayar, died in 2012. Rajesh’s body will be brought back to his residence in Ramapuram, Chennai. His funeral will take place after his daughter’s return from the US.

Rajesh was a high school teacher before he ventured into acting, playing lead and supporting roles in hundreds of Tamil and Malayalam films and TV shows. He also starred in K Balachander’s Achamillai Achamillai, after being introduced by him in Achamillai Achamillai, in a small role. Some of Rajesh’s popular films include Thanneer Thanneer, Andha 7 Naatkal and Payanangal Mudivadhillai and TV shows like Alagai, Roja and Poove Unakkaga. He was most recently seen in Sriram Raghavan’s Merry Christmas with Vijay Sethupathi and Katrina Kaif.

Rajesh also ventured into hotels and real estate business, he is considered one of the top builders in Chennai.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeshita Nyayapati
Despite having a Master's degree in Journalism and over a decade of experience in print and digital media as a field reporter and sub-editor at organisations such as The Times of India and Reader's Digest, Neeshita Nyayapati remains a movie buff first and a Chief Content Producer second. She fell in love with movies in childhood and believes nothing matches the magic of watching a good film that moves you with a warm tub of popcorn in hand. Her love for writing about cinema follows that. Come Friday, you'll find her at her happy place, the movies, catching the latest rom-com or masala offering, for reviews or otherwise. As for the rest of the week, she's here reporting the juiciest news in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi or bringing out the best of celebs in interviews. While her niche is Telugu cinema, Neeshita likes to dabble in a little bit of everything to stay up to date. From film announcements to scandals and hard news angles, she has explored it all. A good book, a comforting cup of hot chocolate, puppy kisses and a stunning beach view are all she needs to unwind. Her passion for biking and travelling has taken her to various places across the country. She has found peace in everything from the frozen lakes of Gangtok to the coffee plantations of Coorg and the dense forests of Bandipur, to the monasteries of Darjeeling. But no matter where she goes, Neeshita loves coming across inspiring and moving stories.Read More

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