Guwahati, April 15 -- Tamil director and actor SS Stanley, who had been undergoing treatment for kidney-related complications over the past few years, passed away on Tuesday, April 15, at the age of 57 due to prolonged health issues.

Reports suggest that actor Dhanush had been financially supporting his treatment.

SS Stanley made his directorial debut in 2002 with the romantic drama April Maadhathil, starring Srikanth and Sneha. The film received critical acclaim. He followed it up with Pudhukottaiyilirundhu Saravanan in 2004, featuring Dhanush and Aparna Pillai. Though it had an average box office performance, it helped establish Stanley's name in the industry.

He later began work on a film with Ravi Krishna and Sonia Agarwal, but the...