Thavasi Anna (Born 1960, Died 23 November 2020) was an Indian Tamil actor and comedian. He was known primarily for his appearances in comedy roles and often played minor characters. His film career spanned more than three decades.
Biography.
Thavasi was born in 1960. According to BBC,Tamil was from the village of Mattaparai, near Nilakkottai in the Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu, India. However, a few sources have interpreted that his family was originally from Theni and there are confusions pertaining to his actual roots as few have speculated he may have been from Madurai.
Career.
He began his film acting career with "Kizhakku Cheemayile" (1993) directed by Bharathiraja. He established himself as a supporting actor, often playing the role of a Hindu priest in remote rural areas. He was also acclaimed for his body language, method acting, strong composure, rough tone, and hilarious comedy sequences and timing while also maintaining a long moustache, which became his trademark.
He rose to prominence for his role as Soori's father, a priest, in the film "Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam" (2013), where he gives his advice, thought process, and recommendations to his devotees by analyzing astrology. He also became well known for his portrayal and mannerisms in giving solutions to the devotees by seeking permission and consent from god Karuppuswamy. His one-line punch dialogue "Karuppan Kusumbukaran" () in the comedy sequence after his predictions went wrong became viral meme material, and it has since been used on social media platforms by users.
His posthumous film release was "Annaatthe" (2021) directed by Siva, starring Rajinikanth in the lead role.
Death.
He was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and died on 23 November 2020 after an eight-month-long battle with the illness. Almost a week before his death, he requested financial assistance from fellow actors and well-wishers to undergo surgeries and medical treatment. He was admitted to Saravana Hospital in Madurai, where he was pronounced dead. During the later stage of his life, he had to clean-shave his beard and moustache and also had to shave his head to undergo medical treatment as per the doctor's prescription to survive the cancer.