Remembering Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar on his birth anniversary

Late Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar would have turned 48 today. An actor and philanthropist par excellence who continues to live in people's hearts, particularly in South India, Rajkumar left for his heavenly abode in October 2021 after a sudden cardiac arrest. Amazon Prime Video released the film Gandhada Gudi on Friday to mark his birth anniversary. It's his final screen appearance.

Rajkumar was known not only for his acting chops but also for his excellence in other domains such as singing, producing, and hosting. He was famously referred to as Appu by his fans. He started his career as a child actor in movies such as Bettada Hoovu and Vasantha Geetha. As a lead, he appeared in 32 movies like Anjani Putra, James, and Ajay.

Considering his immense popularity in South Indian states, it comes as no surprise that Rajkumar lives on in the cultural fabric of the state and continues to be honored there regularly. For instance, on his first death anniversary, 75 cutouts with garlands were erected outside his memorial. He was also conferred with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award and Karnataka Ratna (both posthumously).

While speaking at an event, Jr. NTR said, "If there is a king who has won a kingdom simply by his character and smile, without ego and without being egoistic, without waging a battle, it is the one and only Puneeth Rajkumar." Tamil actor Vishal Krishna also said, "He was not just a superstar on screen, but a big star in real life too."

The reason Rajkumar was able to build a loyal fanbase is due to his relentless commitment to social causes. During COVID-19, he donated a whopping Rs. 50L to the Karnataka CM Relief Fund. In 2019, he donated Rs. 5L to the CM's Natural Calamity Relief Fund to help flood victims. Per reports, he was involved with 26 orphanages, 16 old-age homes, and 19 gaushalas.