Director Shankar Dayal, renowned for his work on the 2012 Karthi-starrer Saguni, has sadly passed away at the age of 54 after suffering a heart-related issue on Thursday evening, leading to his hospitalization and eventual demise.

Shankar Dayal began his career as a dialogue writer for films. He co-wrote the dialogues for Arjun’s action film Parasuram (2003) alongside KC Thangam and Jayam Ravi's successful 2007 film Deepavali. However, it was his political thriller Saguni that brought him into the limelight. The film, which starred Karthi, Pranitha, Santhanam, Kiran Rathod, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Radhika Sarathkumar, and Nassar, became a commercial success and was well-received by audiences for its unique storyline about a character navigating a political world filled with corruption.

After several years, Shankar returned to directing with Kuzhanthaigal Munnetra Kazhagam, a political satire starring Senthil and Yogi Babu. In an earlier interview, he mentioned that the film would appeal to children while addressing political themes. The release date for the film has not yet been announced. Condolences have been pouring in for the director, whose sudden passing has shocked many in the industry, especially as it occurred just hours before he was due to attend a press conference for his upcoming film.