20 October,2026 03:27 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Karthik Sabesh. Pic via X
Tamil actor Karthik Sabesh passed away on Tuesday, October 20, at the age of 37. The actor was the son of late music composer Sabesh, who formed the popular music director duo Sabesh-Murali, and the nephew of veteran composer Deva.
According to a report by News18 Kannada, Karthik died after suffering from an illness. His death comes just three days after Deva passed away at the age of 75 on October 17, following a cardiac arrest. Karthik's last rites were reportedly scheduled to take place at the Valasaravakkam burial ground in Chennai at 4.30 pm on Tuesday. Actors Ramesh Thilak and Jai visited his residence to pay their last respects.
Karthik worked in Tamil cinema and appeared in several films, including Dham, Vallavan, Pattathu Yaanai, Udhayam NH4, Burma, Kadhal Solla Vandhen and Kulir 100 degree.
While he remained associated with the Tamil film industry, his family had a longstanding connection with South Indian music. His father, Sabesh, was one half of the music director duo Sabesh-Murali, while his uncle Deva was a prominent composer whose work spanned several decades.
Karthik's death has come at a difficult time for the family, following the loss of Deva earlier this week. The veteran composer was widely recognised for his contribution to Tamil cinema and for creating music across multiple South Indian film industries.
Deva died on October 17 after suffering a heart attack and being admitted to a private hospital. Over a career spanning decades, he composed music for more than 400 films across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam cinema. He was also known for the iconic introductory music associated with superstar Rajinikanth.
Several prominent figures, including Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, mourned the composer's death. Rajinikanth visited Deva's residence to pay his last respects and also shared a video message remembering their association.
Deva composed music for three of Rajinikanth's films, Annamalai, Baasha and Arunachalam. Recalling his decision to work with AR Rahman on Padaiyappa, Rajinikanth said Deva had supported the move without hesitation.
"When my friends insisted on opting for AR Rahman while making Padaiyappa, I went to Deva and told him that I was opting for AR Rahman; he stood up, held my hand and said, âPlease, by all means, do so,'" he recalled. Rajinikanth described the late composer as "a person of pure gold", paying tribute to both his musical legacy and his generosity. Rajinikanth was last seen in Jailer 2, currently screening in theatres.
