Chennai:  Top actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam Chief Kamal Haasan on Monday condoled the death of legendary Kathak exponent Birju Maharaj and said he had learnt a lot from the matchless guru.

In a tweet, Haasan paid glowing tributes to the Kathak icon. The actor hailed Pandit Birju Maharaj as a peerless Kathak maestro. Haasan said for many years he had learnt a lot from Maharaj by observing him ‘from far away’ like ‘Ekalavya.’ Also, the actor said he had learnt many things from the Kathak guru by being close to him during the making of his flick ‘Viswaroopam.’ Pandit dedicated his life for the sake of music and dance, Haasan said and conveyed his grief and condolences over the maestro’s death. Birju Maharaj, who took the traditional Indian dance form to the world, died at his Delhi home in the early hours of Monday.