K Balachander who launched Rajinikanth passes away

Veternan film director K Balachander who launched Kamal Hassan and Rajinikanth died at a private hospital in Chennai on Tuesday evening.

The Padma Shri and Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner was admitted to the hospital as he suffered from severe infection and fever. However, despite constant treatment for the last one week the fever did not subside and the film maker breathed his last on Tuesday evening.

Legendary actor Rajinikanth was extremely upset to hear about the demise of his mentor Balachander

 "KB sir was not just my guru. He was my father as well. He also never saw me as an actor and treated me like his own son. He was like a god in human form and I feel lost in his absence," Rajinikant told Times of India.

K Balachander launched Rajinikanth in 1975 in a critically acclaimed Tamil film ‘Apoorva Raagangal’ where he was seen essaying the role  of a young boy who falls in love with a woman much older to him.

The Kollywood director had also launched Kamal Hassan and A R Rahman who is one the finest music directors of India.

Balachander's film career spanned over 45 years where  he won nine national film awards and several Filmfare awards.

The filmmaker is likely to be cremated Wednesday.

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