Founder of the avant-garde theatre group ‘Koothu-p-pattarai’, Na Muthuswamy passed away today morning at the age of 82. Actors Vijay Sethupathi, Guru Somasundaram and Pasupathy are among the notable alumni of his theatre group who have gone on to make a mark in the film industry. The veteran was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1999 and the honourable Padma Shri award in 2012. ND Tiwari Dies at 93: Uttarakhand Government Announces Three-Day State Mourning.

Muthuswamy has also made appearances in films, making his acting debut in Seeman’s 2008 romantic drama Vaazhthugal, starring Madhavan and Bhavana. BJP MP Bhola Singh Passes Away at Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, PM Modi Condoles Death. In an interview to The Hindu in 2008, Mr Muthuswamy said that he remembered being ‘swept off his feet’ when he saw a theru-k-koothu, a street theatre performance in the early 1970s, which had prompted him to delve into the art. The UNESCO has identified the theatre group as one among the five learning centres for theatre.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 24, 2018 04:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).