5 Facts About Actor Daniel Balaji, Who Died Of Heart Attack

Actor Daniel Balaji, well known for his roles in Tamil and Malayalam cinema, died after a heart attack Friday night. The 48-year-old actor was rushed to a private hospital in Chennai when he complained of chest pain. He reportedly died on the way to the hospital. His body has been taken to his home in Chennai's Purasawalkam locality for cremation.

Some facts about Daniel Balaji

1. Daniel Balaji (real name TC Balaji) was born in Chennai to a Telugu father and a Tamil mother. He was the nephew of Kannada director Siddalingaiah. He is survived by his mother and two siblings.

2. Mr Balaji began his career in the film industry as a unit production manager for Kamal Haasan's unreleased project, Marudhanayagam.

3. He made his television debut with the serial Chithi, playing a character named Daniel. Impressed by his performance, director Sunder K Vijayan gave him the stage name Daniel Balaji.

4. Mr Balaji made his mark in Tamil cinema with roles in April Maadhathil and Kaadhal Kondein. He gained fame for his portrayal of a police officer in Kaakha Kaakha alongside actor Suriya.

5. Daniel Balaji has shared screen space with industry stalwarts like Kamal Haasan, Mammootty, Mohanlal, Suriya, Dhanush, and many others. He played the antagonist, Amudhan, in the blockbuster Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu, starring Mr Haasan. He later ventured into Malayalam with the film Black and then Bhagavan with Mohanlal. He also worked with Mammooty in Daddy Cool. Mr Balaji was last seen in director Mithran R Jawahar's Ariyavan in 2023.