'Thulluvatho Ilamai' actor Abhinay Kinger passes away after prolonged illness

The Kollywood fraternity mourns the loss of one of its charming actors, Abhinay Kinger. Abhinay passed away on Monday morning in Chennai after battling liver issues. He was 44. Abhinay's life was tragically cut short following a prolonged battle with liver disease.

Reports suggest that the members of the South Indian Artistes' Association have been asked to assess the situation and perform the actor’s last rites, as he has no family members.

Abhinay made his acting debut with filmmaker Kasthuri Raja's film Thulluvadho Ilamai in 2002. He starred alongside Dhanush in the Tamil film.

Abhinay Kinger (2L) with Dhanush (2R) on the sets of Thulluvadho Ilamai.

The actor best known for his debonair look has also worked in movies like Jjunction (2002), Singara Chennai (2004), Pon Megalai (2005), Solla Solla Inikkum (2009), Palaivana Solai (2009), Thuppakki (2012) and Anjaan (2014).

Diagnosed with a debilitating liver disease, Abhinay was forced out of the glamour world and into a period of isolation and intense medication.

With no family to rely on, the combination of lost income and escalating medical bills led to a severe financial crisis. News of him seeking financial assistance from industry people came to public notice a couple of months back, with his Thulluvadho Ilamai co-star, Dhanush, reportedly stepping in and making a donation of Rs 5 lakh.

Budding actor KPY Bala also provided financial assistance to Kinger. Kinger's final public appearance was just a couple of months ago, during the audio launch of KPY Bala's film, Gandhi Kannadi (2025), where he took the stage to publicly praise the well-wishers for their crucial help.