Vivek (actor)

A. Vivekanandan (19 November 1961 – 17 April 2021), known professionally as Vivek, was an Indian actor, comedian, television personality, playback singer, social activist, and entertainer who worked in the Tamil film industry. He was introduced in films by director K. Balachander in Manathil Urudhi Vendum (1987) He has won three Filmfare Award for Best Comedian – Tamil for Run (2002), Saamy (2003), Perazhagan (2004) and five Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Comedian for the films, Unnaruge Naan Irundhal (1999), Run (2002), Parthiban Kanavu (2003), Anniyan (2005) and Sivaji (2007). His comedy style consisted of one-liners and wordplay that featured social and political satire, which led to critics comparing him to N. S. Krishnan and earning him the nickname Chinna Kalaivanar. In 2009, the Government of India awarded Vivek the Padma Shri award for his contribution to the arts. Sathyabama University conferred Vivek with an honorary doctorate for his contribution to society through cinema. As a television personality, Vivek hosted a number of events and interviewed media personalities, notably A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Inspired by Kalam's environmentalism, Vivek founded the Green Kalam initiative in 2010 with the mission of planting one billion trees across Tamil Nadu.