Image Courtesy: Google
New Delhi: Google’s Doodle today had been dedicated to late Kannada actor Rajkumar. Born on April 4, 1929, as Singanalluru Puttaswamayya Muthuraju, the legendary actor from Kannada cinema gained huge popularity for his stage name Rajkumar and was also referred to as Appaji, Annavru among several other names.
The Google Doodle features a young Rajkumar in a movie theatre with a group of people sitting to watch his film.
Hugely respected as one of the best actors in the history of Indian Cinema, Rajkumar isn’t just a cultural icon. He holds a status which goes beyond that being an idol in the Kannada diaspora. He is popularly remembered as Nata Saarvabhouma (Emperor of Actors), Bangarada Manushya (Man of Gold), Vara Nata (Gifted Actor) and Rajanna (Brother Raj).
Rajkumar joined the film industry following his stint as a dramatist with Gubbi Veeranna’s Gubbi Drama Company, which he joined when he was barely eight. In 1954 film Bedara Kannappa, he bagged the role of a protagonist.
He was featured in over 220 films which included Shabdavedhi (2000) – his last project.
In his career in films, Rajkumar won 11 Karnataka State Film Awards, 10 South Filmfare Awards, 2 National Film Awards and a National Film Award for Best Playback Singer for song Naadamaya.
He also bagged the NTR National Award in 2002. He was also given an honorary doctorate from the University of Mysore. Besides being a recipient of the Padma Bhushan in 1983, he was also conferred with Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1995 for the lifetime contribution to Indian Cinema.
Thespian Rajkumar died of a cardiac arrest in 2006.
Source: News18