"He was my biggest inspiration and actually I idolised him. I am still in a daze and it will take time for me to come to terms with reality", said the choreographer-actor, who was struggling to get the right words.

Said Vidyasagar, another leading Tamil music director: "MJ had been a youth icon for over three decades. He deserves a special place in history. His demise has robbed us of a great musician and a noble human being."

The 50-year-old singing sensation died Thursday following a cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles, leaving millions of his fans around the world stunned.