Tamil novelist and scriptwriter V Balakumaran died

Noted Tamil novelist and script writer V Balakumaran died on Tuesday at a private hospital here, hospital sources said. He was 71. The author of several novels and short stories, Balakumaran had been ailing for some time. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Balakumaran penned popular novels like Mercury Pookkal, Thayumanavan and Kadalora Kuruvigal, among others. He also wrote dialogues for Tamil movies like Nayagan and Guna, both starring Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth-starrer Baasha and many others. Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palaniswami had condoled the death.