Director Shankar’s mother, S. Muthulakshmi, passed away on Tuesday in Chennai due to an age-related ailment. She was 88. The final rites will be held tomorrow.

Shankar is close to his mother and recalled her influence on his character in several of his interviews. Shankar is one of the top directors in India and takes about Rs 40 crore paycheck for a movie. Condolence messages have been pouring in from celebrities and fans.

Shankar had recently announced his next film with Ram Charan as a hero. However, he landed in a legal tangle with Lyca Productions regarding ‘Indian 2’ starring Kamal Haasan.