750 Injections In 4 Years: 'Nayak' Villain Ranga's Real-Life Struggle After Kidney Failure
He started his film journey as a stuntman and was known for executing risky action scenes without a single injury. That earned him the nickname "Spare Parts" in the industry. He made his acting debut in 1988 with 'Kaliyugam' and later appeared in a string of Tamil hits like 'Apoorva Sagodharargal', 'Vetri Vizha', 'Micheal Madana Kama Rajan', and 'Mannava Kaval'. At his peak, he acted in ten films in a single year. (News18 Hindi)
But fame and adrenaline were followed by a long downward spiral. Alcohol addiction took a brutal toll. Years of abuse led to kidney failure, and since 2021, the actor has been on dialysis. Dialysis is the cruelest punishment in the world, Ponnambalam said in a recent interview. "I've had 750 injections in four years, every alternate day at the same spot. I can't eat salt. I can't eat a full meal. Even my enemies shouldn't suffer like this," he said. (News18 Hindi)
He has had to spend over Rs 35 lakh on treatment. "Sarath Kumar was the first to help. Then Dhanush and Arjun pitched in. Even Chiranjeevi helped me financially, despite a fight we once had on set. But many others in the industry didn't even ask how I was living," he said. (News18 Hindi)
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