Chennai: The mortal remains of Mohini Mani, mother of leading Tamil actor Ajith Kumar, were cremated in Chennai on Sunday morning during an intimate ceremony attended by family members and close friends. Mani, 89, passed away peacefully in her sleep at the family’s residence in the early hours of Saturday following a prolonged period of age-related illness. Upon receiving the news, Ajith, who was in Dubai for professional commitments, immediately rushed back to Chennai to perform the final rites for his mother.
Sources close to the family indicated that the body was kept briefly at the actor’s Injambakkam residence on Sunday morning, allowing immediate relatives and close associates a final opportunity to pay their respects. The cortege then proceeded to the Besant Nagar electric crematorium, where the final rituals were conducted in a solemn and private manner. The family had previously issued a joint statement requesting privacy during their time of profound grief, emphasizing their desire to keep the funeral an entirely intimate family affair.
In their emotional public statement, the family expressed comfort that she had lived a long, fulfilling life and was fortunate to experience the unwavering love of her family alongside the genuine respect of everyone who knew her kind nature. They also noted that she was blessed with a successful marriage of nearly six decades with their late father, who passed away three years prior, adding that those cherished memories would continue to offer them strength. The family thanked well-wishers for the influx of heartfelt messages and condolences, asking for understanding regarding their delayed responses during this period.
Despite the explicit request for an intimate gathering, several high-profile personalities visited Ajith’s residence to offer their condolences in person, including newly elected Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and actress Trisha Krishnan. A wide spectrum of political leaders and prominent figures from the Indian film fraternity also expressed their deep sympathies online, including DMK President M K Stalin, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, BJP leader K Annamalai, Makkal Needhi Maiam Chief Kamal Haasan, and actress Radikaa Sarathkumar. Mohini Mani is survived by her three sons, Anup Kumar, Ajith Kumar, and Anil Kumar.
