He was known as the King Of Romance. Actor, scholar and sportsperson, Gemini Ganesan was an all-rounder.

One of the three pillars of the Tamil film industry -- besides the late Sivaji Ganesan and M G Ramachandran -- the legend passed away at 1:30 am, on Tuesday, March 22.

Beginning his film career with Miss Malini in 1947, Gemini Ganesan went on to do an astonishing number of hits in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam.

Kamal Haasan, who played Gemini Ganesan's son in his very first film Kalathur Kannamma, remembers his father figure.

I've just come back from his funeral. Another stalwart bites the dust. I'm disappointed by him. He promised me that he would live to be 90 like his mother.

He played my co-star in the original Tamil version of Chachi 420. He played Chacha and I played Chachi. Coincidentally, the Chacha in the Hindi version, Amrish Puri, also passed away recently.

My career started with Gemini Ganesan. I played his son in my first film. It must have been his 60th or 70th film. Savithri Amma (Gemini Ganesan's second wife) was opposite him. They adopted me since then.

He was a scholar among stars. He was a college lecturer before acting. In those times, actors did not shun education. He knew several languages including Sanskrit. I knew him from close quarters. He was a great practitioner of yoga. Some of the asanas he did were worthy of winning prizes! He was also an excellent tennis player, a sharpshooter and a horse rider.

He was always a happy, chirpy man. I've never seen him brooding. He had a thriving career. While the two other giants (Sivaji Ganesan and MG Ramachandran) competed with each other, Gemini kept giving hits. He was known as the 'Jubilee King' -- a record-breaker.

He was a reluctant actor. He treated it like an office-going job. He produced a film called Naan Avinillai, directed by my mentor K Balachander, which featured himself and Savithri. I think it was later remade in Hindi by as Main Woh Nahin with Rekha in the lead.

He knew I was a fan of Sivaji Saab, and he accepted it. He led a full life. None of his wives complained, and all his children were at his funeral today. It showed the largesse of the man. He was beyond the dull moral boundaries of a normal social structure. He has one son, from Savithri Amma, who's expected soon.

Another era ends with Gemini Ganesan. The industry will go on without Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan or Kamal Haasan. I don't think the film industry will be affected. But to me, it's a personal loss.

I want my idol Dilip Kumar to know I consider him the ultimate actor before it's too late. I've sent a poster of Ganga Jamuna to be signed by Dilip Saab. I feel as excited as a school boy. Gemini Ganesan was among that group of my idols. He could make me starry-eyed.