Overview
- K. Rajan, a producer, director, writer and actor in Tamil cinema, died in Chennai after what police described as a suicide, with officers saying he asked his driver to stop on the Adyar bridge on Sunday, May 17, before jumping into the river.
- Fire and Rescue personnel recovered his body and sent it to Government Royapettah Hospital for a post-mortem, and Adyar police registered a case as the probe continues with no motive released.
- Leaders and colleagues offered condolences, including DMK’s M. K. Stalin, AIADMK’s Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Khushbu Sundar, R. Sarathkumar and Vishal, and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay said Monday he was deeply saddened.
- Rajan’s career spanned from his producing debut in 1983 to recent acting roles, and he once led the Chennai film distributors’ association, gaining notice for blunt critiques on pay for stars and support for small-budget films.
- Police said he had been staying at a private hotel away from family, and several reports shared suicide-prevention helplines as tributes and posts about his death spread on social media.