Veteran director and actor Bhagyaraj (73), who died in Chennai due to a heart attack, was cremated on Saturday at the Besant Nagar electric crematorium with full state honours.
His mortal remains were kept for public homage at his residence in Nungambakkam, where the news of his death left the film fraternity in shock. Several leading figures from cinema and politics visited to pay their final respects.
Among those who paid tribute were Chief Minister Vijay and DMK leader Stalin, along with film personalities including Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Dhanush, Sivakarthikeyan, Sivakumar, Keerthy Suresh, Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Arjun, Lokesh Kanagaraj, and Malayalam actors Mammootty and Dileep.
As announced earlier by the Chief Minister, the last rites were conducted with state honours. Police rendered honours when the body was taken out from the residence, and the funeral procession began around 9 am, passing through Valluvarkottam signal, Kodambakkam High Road, RK Salai and Kamarajar Salai before reaching the crematorium.
Parthiban and Sarathkumar carried the body from the house to the vehicle, after which the cremation was held with gun salutes as part of the official honours.
