Ajith Kumar one of the biggest superstars in South India lost his father P. Subramaniam who was suffering from a prolonged illness for the past few years. Celebrities and fans have been condoling the family on social media and over phone.

Meanwhile Ajith and his brothers Anup and Anil have released a joint statement regarding their irreparable loss. It reads "Our father, PS Mani, passed away in the early hours of this morning, in his sleep, after a long illness. He was 85. We are grateful for the care and support provided to him and our family by a number of medical professionals, especially following his debilitating stroke of four years ago."

They have expressed their gratitude for the condolences "We are comforted, at this time of grief, that he lived a good life and knew the undying love of our mother, his partner of nearly six decades. We appreciate the kind, comforting messages and condolences that have been coming in and ask for your understanding if we may not be able to take calls or respond to messages in a timely manner."

The siblings have added "His last rites will be a family affair. We trust that all who have known loss will respect our wish to grieve privately and deal with his passing with as much equanimity and dignity as possible."- Anup Kumar, Ajith Kumar, and Anil Kumar.