Gemini Ganesan, left, and V. K. Ranga Rao in ‘Vazhkal Padagu.’

CHENNAI : Tamil cinema’s ‘King of Romance’ Gemini Ganesan, who died in Chennai after a prolonged illness on March 22, was cremated with full police honors, including a 30-gun salute.

The entire Tamil film industry was there to bid him goodbye but his daughter, Bollywood superstar Rekha, was not among them. “She is shooting for a film in Kulu Manali,” the family said.

He is survived by seven daughters and a son. One of his daughters is a renowned gynecologist here, Kamala Selvaraj. Ganesan, 84, had been unwell for some two months and had been in and out of hospitals. According to Selvaraj, he died at 1.30 a.m. on March 22.

“He was surrounded by his children and family. He died peacefully,” she told reporters. The body was kept in a flower-bedecked casket at his home to allow people to pay tribute.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalitha, who had acted in three movies with Ganesan, said his death marked “an end of a chapter” for the Tamil movie industry.

“A chapter in the Tamil film industry has come to an end and it is an irreparable loss,” she said.

In New Delhi, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam said: “Ganesan was one of the most famous actors who strode across the stage of South Indian cinema. In a career spanning more than half a century, he brought joy and happiness to thousands of fans and cinemagoers through his roles, which were full of passion and emotion.”

In a career spanning over five decades, Ganesan acted in more than 200 films in Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi.

He was known as one of the ‘Big Three’ of Tamil cinema, the other two being the late M.G. Ramachandran and the late Sivaji Ganesan. Unlike the other two, however, he never tried to translate his popularity into a political career. Fondly known as ‘Kadal Mannan’ (‘King of Romance’), Ganesan acted in many box-office hits between the 1950s and 1970s. He was one of the rare graduates to enter films in those days. He paired up with top heroines of the day such as Savithri, whom he later married, Saroja Devi, former Rajya Sabha member Vyjayanthimala Bali, ‘Sowcar’ Janaki and Devika. His first hit came at age 30 and many successes followed, such as ‘Vanjikottai Valiban,’ ‘Kalyana Parisu,’ ‘Missiamma,’ ‘Pasamalar,’ ‘Panama Pasama’ and ‘Iru Kodugal.’

After working as a lecturer in the Madras Christian College, Ramaswami Ganesan joined the Gemini Studios as a production executive in 1947, which gave him the title ‘Gemini.’

Soon he did minor roles in a few films, but it was ‘Penn’ and ‘Kanavane Kan Kanda Deivam’ that gained him star status. In his later years, Ganesan became the grand patriarch of Tamil cinema and acted in films like the Kamal Hassan-starrer ‘Avvai Shanmughi’ and ‘Unnal Mudiyum Thambi.’

A Padmashree recipient in 1971, Ganesan had also won several other prestigious awards such as the ‘Kalaimamani Award,’ the ‘MGR Gold Medal’ and the ‘Screen Lifetime Achievement Award.’

“Ganesan’s death is the end of an era,” said former Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi who also penned some of his film scripts.