Veteran actor and politician Vijayakanth who ruled Tamil cinema during the 80s and 90s along with the likes of Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth was a true action hero, who was best known for essaying cop roles in his films. His 100th movie 'Captain Prabhakaran' released in 1991 earned him the moniker 'Captain' that would remain with him till his death.
The fight sequences in the movie, which was loosely based on the life of feared bandit Veerappan, reiterated his ability to deliver some powerful kicks and punches onscreen. In the movie, he played Captain Prabhakaran, an IFS officer who heads the Special Task Force, tasked with capturing the feared dacoit Veerabhadran, played by Mansoor Ali Khan. This R K Selvamani directorial went on to become a blockbuster. For Vijayakanth, the victory was sweeter because it was his 100th film.
Vijayakanth played several cop roles in his career as an actor. In 'Maanagara Kaaval', he played the role of ACP Subhash. The political-action thriller was remade in Telugu as City Police and ran in theatres in Tamil Nadu for 150 days. In Sethupathi IAS, he plays yet another police officer who sets out on a mission to save a group of kidnapped children. His dialogues, packed with punch and empathy, were celebrated by the Tamil audience.
