ಡಾ.ರಾಜ್ಕುಮಾರ
Dr||RAJKUMAR
Dr||RAJKUMAR
| Native name | ರಾಜ್ಕುಮಾರ |
|---|---|
| Born | Singanalluru Puttaswamayya Muthuraju 24 April 1929 Gajanur, Madras Presidency,British India |
| Died | 12 April 2006 (aged 76) Bangalore, Karnataka, India |
| Monuments | Kanteerava Studios |
| Other names | Raj Kumar, Annavru |
| Occupation | Actor, singer |
| Years active | 1954–2005 |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
| Movement | Gokak agitation |
| Spouse(s) | Parvathamma Rajkumar (1953–2006) |
| Children | Shiva Rajkumar Raghavendra Rajkumar Puneeth Rajkumar Lakshmi Poornima |
| Relatives | Vinay Rajkumar (grandson) |
Rajkumar was born on April 24, 1929, at Gajanur (Talavadi block), Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu). His mother tongue was Kannada. His father, Singanalluru Puttaswamayya, was an impoverished theatre-artist, was originally from Singanallur, Coimbatore District, Madras Presidency (Now in Karnataka),who played roles like Kamsa, Ravana and Hiranyakashipu. His mother's name was Lakshmamma. Rajkumar dropped out of school at the age of 8 after having been discovered by a film producer, and played minor characters until he was 25 when he played his first lead role in a feature film.Originally, he was named Mutturajar, after the Muthathi Raya (a name for the Hindu deity Hanuman), which is a temple deity located in Muthathi, a settlement on the banks of river Kaveri in present-day Karnataka.
Before acting in what would become his first film as a male lead Bedara Kannappa, Rajkumar appeared in Srinivasa Kalyana, as one of the seven Saptarishi (sages). This was too small a role; he remembered only that the scene in which he acted was over before he recognized himself in the scene.
Rajkumar began his acting career as a theatre artist with his father in a troupe led by Gubbi Veeranna. In 1953, he was spotted by film director H. L. N. Simha who was on the lookout for a well-built, pleasant-faced youth for his film Bedara Kannappa. Simha eventually signed him for the film and christened him "Rajkumar". Rajkumar would use the same name for the rest of his life. He later forayed into film production with Ranadheera Kanteerava, which he produced.
Rajkumar acted only in Kannada movies throughout his life, except one movie Sri Kalahastiswara Mahatyam, which was released in Telugu. which itself was the remake of his Kannada film Bedara Kannappa. In his lifetime, Rajkumar acted in 206 .Kannada movies, excluding guest appearances. He owned a film production company called Vajreshwari Production, which produces films under the banner of Dakshayani Combines. Bhagyada Bagilu was his 100th film, Devatha Manushya was his 200th movie, and Shabdavedhi was his 206th and last film.
Singer
Rajkumar was also a singer, who sang in many Kannada movies. He won the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer in 1992 for the song "Naadamaya" from the movie Jeevana Chaitra. It is a classical song inThodi Raga.
He was trained in classical music while in Gubbi Veeranna's drama troupe which had a requirement for everyone to have at least a working knowledge of the classical music.He performed a song in the movie Mahishasura Mardini (this was picturised onNarasimharaju, a comedian). However, he did not become a full-fledged singer until his song "Yare Koogadali" from the movie Sampathige Sawal in 1974. Prior to this, Rajkumar's songs were mostly sung by P. B. Srinivas.After which, he sang in most of his movies and in many private albums, which were mainly devotional albums. His song renditions ranged from pure classical to disco and fast numbers to pathos His fans of the days of black-and-white movies in the 1960s and 1970s, believe he was actually P. B. Srinivas, who did the playback singing for most of Rajkumar's movies, until Rajkumar himself started to sing. P. B. Srinivas continued singing for him in many of the movies in which Rajkumar starred in double/triple roles.
His songs about Kannadigas, Kannada language and culture, such as "Jenina Holeyo" from Chalisuva Modagalu, "Maanavanagi Huttidmele" from Jeevana chaitra and "Huttidare Kannada" from the film Aakasmika. He sang a complete English song called "If You Come Today" ("Tick Tick Tick") in one of his Bond films – Operation Diamond Racket in 1978. This song became an internet meme in India following Rajkumar's demise in 2006.
In his final years, Rajkumar lent his voice to a few other actors and sang many background solos. In the song Kannappa Kottanu, from the 1993 movie Muddina Maava, wherein he provided playback to the singer S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, who acted in the movie. This was a rare occasion where an actor sang for a singer. Kalidasa's shlokas (songs) like "Maanikya Veena" and ghazal based songs like "Sadaa Kannale", "Kanneera Dhaare" and "Yaava Kaviyu". In addition to his film work, he lent his voice for many devotional songs on Hanumantha and Sri Raghavendra Swami.
Yoga keeps Rajkumar going
National Film Awards
- 1963 – President Medal for Best Actor, Santha Tukarama
- 1992 – Best Male Playback Singer for the song "Naadamaya Ee Lokavella" from the movie Jeevana Chaitra
- 1995 – Dadasaheb Phalke Award
- 2002 – NTR National Award
Filmfare Awards South
Rajkumar is an Ten time winner of South Filmfare Awards in the Best Actor category(a record which was later levelled by Kamal Haasan and Mammootty). Some of the films for which he received Best Actor awards include:
- Mayor Muthanna in 1969
- Sri Krishnadevaraya in 1970
- Kasturi Nivasa in 1971
- Gandhada Gudi in 1973
- Mayura in 1975
- Sanadhi Appanna in 1977
- Shankar Guru in 1978
- Keralida Simha in 1981
- Dhruva Thare – 1985
- Aakasmika in 1993
- Lifetime achievement award – 1993.
Total of 10 filmfare awards for best actor category.
Karnataka State Film Awards
- Total tally of 13 (9 for best actor, 2 for best singer, 1 lifetime achievement)
Best Actor
- 1967-68 - Bangarada Hoovu
- 1970-71 - Kula Gowrava
- 1974-75 - Bhaktha Kumbara
- 1976-77 - Babruvahana
- 1981-82 - Hosa Belaku
- 1982-83 - Halu Jenu
- 1988-89 - Devatha Manushya
- 1992-93 - Jeevana Chaithra
- 1993-94 - Odahuttidavaru
Best Singer
- 1993-94 - Aakasmika
- 1994-95 - Thayi Illada Thavaru - Arishina kunkuma
Other awards and honours
- Honorary Doctorate from the Mysore University in 1976
- Postal stamp and gold coins having the actor's face issued in 2009 by the honourable central government of India.
- More than 1100 statues of Rajkumar are present all over karnataka. Recently a statue of the actor in Mayura touch(a movie in which he had acted in 1975)had been inaugurated in Kurubarahalli, Bangalore with a total cost of above 10 million rupees.
- The Nadoja Award (an honorary doctorate) from Hampi University in 1999
- Nine Karnataka State Film Awards in the Best Actor category
- Two Karnataka State Film Awards in the Best Playback Singer category
- Padma Bhushan award in 1983
- ETV Kannadiga of the Year Award in 2003
- Karnataka Ratna in 1992 and "Nata Saarvabhowma" (The Emperor of Acting) in 1967 by the Government of Karnataka.
- Kentucky colonel (Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels) honorary title by the governor of Kentucky, U.S in 1985.
- A 6-kilometre (3.7 mi) road has been named "Dr. Rajkumar Road" after Rajkumar.The road stretches from Government Soap Factory in Yeshwanthpur to Prasanna Theater, Magadi Road in Bangalore.
Sarthaka Suvarna
In July 2005, the Government of Karnataka honored Rajkumar for his 50 years of service to the Kannada film industry at the Bangalore Palace in a ceremony called Sarthaka Suvarna. The felicitation ceremony was attended by the entire Kannada film industry as a mark of respect and tribute to the legend. The felicitation ceremony, arranged by the government led by N. Dharam Singh, was a success.
