Dr Rajkumar, considered as one of the greatest actors of his time, needs no introduction. Born on this day in 1929 as Ambrish Singanalluru Puttaswamayya Muthuraju, he was renamed Rajkumar for his on-screen appearance. The cultural icon was fondly called by fans as “Annavru” (Big Brother in Kannada) and was also known as ‘Nata Sarvabhouma’ (emperor of acting/actors) among the Kannada speaking diaspora.
With a career spanning close to five decades, the veteran had acted in more than 200 movies, most of which were epic hits. He was also a well-known singer and a playback singer of devotional songs, belting out more than 300 songs in films and over 400 devotional songs. He started his career as a theatre artist in Gubbi Drama Company, made his big-screen debut with the movie Bedara Kannappa (1954). His last film was Shabdavedi (2000). He passed away in 2006.
On the occasion of the legend’s birth anniversary, let’s take a look at some of his epic hits.
Bedara Kannnappa (1954): He made impact with his debut movie which was an adaptation of a play produced by the theatre group he was a part of. The movie is about a hunter who proves his devotion to Lord Shiva by offering his own eyes. The film is also the first Kannada flick to win a National Award.
Sathya Harishchandra (1965): In another mythological based film, Rajkumar played the titular role of King Harishchandra. The popular folklore emperor was known for upholding truth and justice.
Kasturi Nivasa (1971): Rajkumar played one of the best roles of his life in this film which is considered as a milestone film in the actor’s career as well as in the Kannada film industry. He played the role of a widower and shows the nuances of leading a righteous yet lonely life.
Bangarada Manushya (1972): The social drama mega-hit film was based on TK Rama Rao’s novel, encouraging people to take up agriculture. The film also highlighted the importance of hard work and sacrifice. Annavru’s performance was so profound that it was included in the Forbes list of ‘25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema’ in 2013.
Sampathige Savaal (1974): The film was one of the musical super hits of Rajkumar. His character of a poor man challenging a landlord and protests against him. The film also marked his playback singing debut and was also the maiden film of well-known actress Manjula.
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