Delhi Ganesh Age, Death, Wife, Children, Family, Biography

Some Lesser Known Facts About Delhi Ganesh

• In 1964, Ganesan joined the Indian Air Force in a civilian post.
  

  An old picture of Delhi Ganesh as an IAF employee

• During his time in the IAF, he was part of the Delhi-based theatre group, Dakshina Bharata Nataka Sabha.

• In 1974, Ganesan left the IAF to pursue a career in the film industry.

• He then joined Kathadi Ramamurthi’s theatre company.

• While working with this theatre company, Ganesan received a big break by playing the role of Kuselar in the play ‘Dowry Kalyana Vaibhogame.’

• His performance as Kuselar impressed Indian playwright and film director K. Balachander.

• In 1977, K. Balachander cast Ganesh in his film Pattina Pravesam, where Ganesh was trained under his guidance.
  

  Delhi Ganesh on the poster of the film Pattina Pravesam

• Ganesh also worked briefly as a stenographer at the Food Corporation of India in Chennai.

• Three years after entering the film industry, he won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize for his role as rickshaw puller Muniyandi in the film Pasi in 1979.

• K. Balachander changed his name to Delhi Ganesh.

• He played the lead role in the 1981 film Engamma Maharani.

• His notable films include Sri Raghavendra (1985), Chatriyan (1990), Iruvar (1997), Aahaa..! (1997), Priyamanavale (2000), Saamy (2003), and Kaavalan (2011).

• In the 1985 film Sindhu Bhairavi, which was directed by K. Balachander, Delhi Ganesh played the role of Gurumoorthy, a mridangam player. His portrayal of a musician struggling with alcoholism and being rejected by his band was praised for its emotional depth.
  

  Delhi Ganesh in a still from the film Sindhu Bhairavi (1985)

• He was known for frequently working with Kamal Haasan in many films such as Nayakan (1987), Apoorva Sagodharagal (1989), Michael Madana Kama Rajan (1990), Avvai Shanmugi (1996), and Thenali (2001).
  

  Delhi Ganesh with Kamal Hassan

• Delhi Ganesh often complemented Kamal Haasan in these films by connecting with the audience through his mannerisms, screen presence, body language, and impactful dialogue delivery.

• The film critics praised the on-screen chemistry between Ganesh and Kamal Haasan for their natural acting and ability to improve key moments in the films.

• In 1987, Delhi Ganesh worked as a dubbing artist in the television series Malgudi Days for the actor Girish Karnad on Doordarshan.

• In the 1987 film Nayakan, which was directed by Mani Ratnam, Ganesh earned praise for his excellent acting skills. In the film, he played the role of a Brahmin Iyer and the loyal right-hand man of Velu Nayakkar.

• Reportedly, Delhi Ganesh‘s character followed Velu Nayakkar’s principles with admiration and gratitude. He stood by Velu Nayakkar even during his lowest moments, like when Velu’s daughter left him or his elder son died.

• His role was crucial in supporting Velu Nayakkar’s transformation from a slum dweller to an underworld don.
  

  An old picture of Delhi Ganesh with Kamal Hassan in a still from the film Nayakan

• Delhi Ganesh repeated his role of assisting a smuggler’s rise to an underworld gangster in the 2022 film Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu with a cameo appearance.

• He was known for playing supporting and comedic roles, but he also played many villainous characters in films like Apoorva Sagodharargal in 1989.

• Delhi Ganesh appeared as villain Francis Anbarasu in the film Apoorva Sagodharargal where Appu killed Francis using a Rube Goldberg machine, a sequence that became iconic upon release.

• This scene was later copied in the 2010 film Thamizh Padam, where Ganesh repeated his role as Francis.

• In the 1990 film, Michael Madana Kama Rajan, which was directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao, Delhi Ganesh played the role of a Palakkad-based cook. His humorous role and dialogue delivery in a Malayalam-Tamil mix earned him praise.

• After making his television debut with the serial Ippadikku Thendral, Delhi Ganesh went on to appear in many television shows such as Kottaipurathu Veedu (1990), Ragasiyam (1997), Sorna Reghai (2000), Sorgam (2005), Enge Brahmanan (2010), Bhairavi Aavigalukku Priyamanaval (2014), Lakshmi Stores (2019), and Ilakkiya (2024).
  

  The poster of the television serial Ilakkiya (2024)

• In 1996, he appeared as Sethurama Iyer, the secretary to Gemini Ganesan’s character, in the film Avvai Shanmugi, which was directed by K. S. Ravikumar.

• In his films, Delhi Ganesh earned notable screen time and shared scenes with notable actors including Meena, Gemini Ganesan, Nassar, Nagesh, and Manivannan.

• In 2002, he joined the cast of the film Thamizhan on Vijay’s recommendation. The on-screen pairing of Vijay and Delhi Ganesh in the film Thamizhan was well-received, especially in the comedy sequences.

• Delhi Ganesh‘s dialogue, ‘Cigaretta Niruthu, Enakku Discipline Thaan Mukkiyam,’ from his verbal arguments with Vijay, became a fan favourite and went viral on social media.
  

  Delhi Ganesh with Vijay in a still from the film Thamizhan

• In 2012, he stopped playing villainous roles after facing criticism from family and audience for his negative character in the television serial Chellamay, where Radhika Sarathkumar played the lead role.

• Delhi Ganesh discussed his choice of negative roles in an article by Cho Ramaswamy, which influenced his decision to accept a negative character in the film Payasam.

• In Payasam, which was a part of the anthology Navarasa, he portrayed a jealous old man struggling with the disappointments of life.

• After that, Delhi Ganesh appeared in a short film named ‘What if Batman was from Chennai’ as a version of Alfred Pennyworth.

• In 2015, he began working as a film producer and launched the film Ennul Aayiram in 2016, featuring his son Maha in the lead role.

• In 2016, Delhi Ganesh appeared in the film Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru, which was directed by Karthick Naren. In the film, he played the role of Sriman, a grieving father who discovers his missing son is dead, alongside Rahman.

• In an interview with a media house in 2021, he credited his acclaim and fame to his frequent collaborations with Kamal Haasan.

• Delhi Ganesh said in the same conversation that Kamal Haasan encouraged him to take on a full-fledged comedic role and this led to his performance as a comedian in the 1996 film Avvai Shanmugi.

• In 2021, he appeared in the web series Navarasa, which aired on Netflix.

• In December 2023, Delhi Ganesh received the Gowri Manohari Award for his contributions to theatre at the 36th Winter Music Festival. The festival was hosted by Sruthilaya Kendra, which was founded by mridangam artist Karaikudi Mani.

• In 2023, he published a book named Delhi Durbar in which he shared his experiences in the film industry.
  

  Delhi Ganesh while promoting his book Delhi Durbar in 2023

• Delhi Ganesh was an animal lover and had a pet dog. He often shared pictures of his pet on social media.
  

  Delhi Ganesh with his wife and their pet dog