Solomon Pappaiah, the renowned Tamil scholar, orator, actor, and journalist, passed away at the age of 90 on September 11, 2026. The celebrated personality breathed his last in Madurai.
Solomon Pappaiah passes away at 90
Born Sundaram Solomon Pappaiah on February 22, 1936, in Sathangudi near Madurai, Pappaiah spent more than six decades contributing to Tamil literature and public life. He began his career as a Tamil professor at The American College in Madurai before becoming a familiar face to audiences through television.
Pappaiah is widely regarded as one of the personalities who transformed the Pattimandram, or Tamil debate programme, into a mainstream form of entertainment. Moving away from its traditionally academic image, he brought everyday social topics to the format, combining them with his trademark wit, conversational humour, and extensive knowledge of Tamil literature.
During his illustrious career, Pappaiah reportedly moderated more than 12,000 debate programmes across the world. For over three decades, his Pattimandram programmes became a staple of festive television, earning him a special place among Tamil audiences.
According to reports, shortly before his health deteriorated, Pappaiah had recorded a special Vinayagar Chaturthi debate programme that was scheduled to be telecast on September 14, 2026.
Solomon Pappaiah’s acting career and Sivaji: The Boss role
Despite his deep association with the debate stage, Pappaiah also made occasional appearances in films, largely owing to his immense popularity. One of his most memorable screen appearances came in director Shankar’s Sivaji: The Boss, where he shared the screen with Rajinikanth.
Pappaiah played Thondaimani, the neighbour of Ramalingam, a character portrayed by his real-life Pattimandram partner Pattimandram Raja. Ramalingam is the strict and traditional father of Tamizhselvi, played by Shriya Saran. Pappaiah’s character provided a witty contrast to Ramalingam’s serious personality.
One of his most memorable sequences comes when Sivaji attempts to impress Tamizhselvi’s traditional family. Sivaji adopts a traditional Tamil appearance, leading to a humorous exchange in which Pappaiah uses his expressive mannerisms and distinctive voice modulation to poke fun at his elaborate get-up.
The role became highly popular among family audiences. Pappaiah reportedly received more than 200 film offers following the success of Sivaji: The Boss, with filmmakers keen to cast him as wise grandfather or professor-type characters. However, he turned down most of the offers, later explaining that although the film industry had treated him with immense respect, he did not want to make acting his full-time career.
Solomon Pappaiah is survived by his son and daughter. His wife, Jeyabai, passed away before him.
