Take Diversion, 2020-21

F**k this year. #RIPVivekh

The last 10 hours have left me marveling at the rapid mood swings that the news of Vivekh’s death has done to my brain. Even in death, the man has me alternately cackling with laughter as I recall the comedy tracks I grew up with, and a split second later immediately tearing me up with the realization that he’s no more with us.

In a way, this entire year feels like Vivekh’s comedy track from Run, where he keeps getting bludgeoned with setback after setback as a small-town lad trying to make it in a big city, till he’s left dancing crazed and half-naked in the middle of the road.

Perhaps the best solution is to create an alternative universe using “sub-conscious memory power” that we can escape to.

Many fine articles and nostalgia pieces have already written about Vivekh’s extraordinary 40-year career and social activism. The extent of his evolution as a performer has been almost Pokemon-like, going from yet another new talent introduced by K Balachander to reaching a comedy peak rivaling meme king Vadivelu to reinventing himself as a character actor in Dharala Prabhu (the Tamil remake of Vicky Donor released last year). As much as one can endlessly reminisce about his legendary comedy tracks in the early-to-mid 2000s, it’s his role as the fertility doctor in Dharala Prabhu that leaves you thinking about what could have been. We got a brand-new version of Vivekh the character actor, who could have reached new heights in the expert hands of the new crop of filmmakers in Kollywood.

All that said, the role that will stay with me the most is Vivekh as Chari in Shankar’s 2005 blockbuster Anniyan. A big part of it is surely the fact that Vivekh and the rest of the ensemble (Vikram, Nedumudi Venu, etc.) created comedy platinum from TamBrahm culture in a way practically no one has been able to do since Crazy Mohan in the 90s. But Chari is also the no-nonsense best friend who gives you the tongue lashings you don’t want to hear but need to, and who’s the first in line to help you up when you’re in need. Nobody played that “hero’s best friend” role quite like Vivekh.

To this day, both my parents and I drop whatever we’re doing like hot potatoes and congregate in front of the TV if the comedy channels broadcast this or any other of Vivekh’s legendary comedy scenes. What used to be a welcome burst of endorphins in the middle of the day is now going to be accompanied by a tinge of sadness, as we mourn this man, who was beloved by all and sundry.