Rajinikanth pays last respects to Vijaykanth, recalls all the times he helped him. Watch

Superstar Rajinikanth spoke to the reporters after paying tribute to the late Vijayakanth, whose body was laid to rest at the Island Grounds. He said, “I was filming in Kanyakumari. I was supposed to come yesterday. It was very tough. There's a lot to say about Vijayakanth. He was the epitome of friendship. Once someone befriended him, they could never forget him."

“He was often angry with friends, politicians, and the media, but no one could ever be angry with him. There was always a reason behind Vijayakanth's anger. Once you get close to Vijayakanth, everyone becomes devoted to his love. He was a symbol of courage and valor. 'Captain' was an apt name for Vijayakanth,” he said.

"Once, when I was unwell and unconscious at Ramachandra Hospital, many people came and bothered me. Vijayakanth arrived, and within 5 minutes, he sent all those who were causing a disturbance away. He took a room next to mine and said he'd take care of anyone who bothered me. I can never forget that. We once went to Singapore and Malaysia for an actors' association event. Everyone had boarded the bus in Malaysia, and fans had gathered around. Vijayakanth saw this, came immediately, and in 2 minutes, he dispersed everyone and escorted me like a flower. It's hard to see such a person in this state. He passed away at the age of 71, towering at 6 feet 4 inches. Millions have lived, and millions have passed, but who remains in the hearts of the people? Long live Vijayakanth.”

Earlier, at the airport, Rajinikanth said, “The loss of my dear friend Vijayakanth is a great misfortune. He was a man of incredible mental strength. We all hoped he would recover. But recently, at the DMDK general council meeting, when I saw him, my hope diminished. If he had remained healthy, he would have been a great force in Tamil politics and done a lot of good for the Tamil people. The Tamil people have lost that blessing.”

Actor Rajinikanth was shooting for the movie Vettaiyan. He immediately halted the shooting and left for Chennai to pay his respects to Vijayakanth.