Popular Tamil comedian Pandu died in Chennai on Thursday, reports PTI quoting his son. The 74-year-old actor and his wife had recently tested positive for coronavirus and were admitted to a private hospital in the city.

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“He tested positive for coronavirus and was admitted to hospital yesterday and his pulse dropped suddenly and he passed away early this morning,” Pandu’s son Pintu told the agency. Pandu is survived by his wife, who is also being treated for COVID-19 in a hospital, and three sons.

Pandu began his career as an actor with Maanavan, in 1970. He also featured in films loke ‘Ghilli’, ‘Kadhal Kottai’, ‘Pokkiri’ and ‘Ezhaiyin Siripil’. ‘Indha Nilai Maarum’ was the last movie he featured in.

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Known for his excellent comic timings body language, Pandu’s career spanned four decades during which he worked in more than 500 movies, mostly in Tamil.

The DMK and AIADMK condoled his death. DMK chief M K Stalin said Pandu, besides being an excellent comedian was also an artist who held a doctorate in the subject and he had developed a unique style of comedy. Pandu’s death was a huge loss to the film industry and to the world of drawings, paintings, Stalin said in a statement, reports PTI.

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AIADMK top leaders O Panneerselvam and K Palaniswami hailed Pandu for his acting skills and said he was well known to party founder and late Chief Minister M G Ramachandran.