Singanalluru Puttaswamaiah Muthuraj (24 April 1929 – 12 April 2006),[4] better known by his stage nameDr. Rajkumar,[a] was an Indian actor and singer who worked inKannada cinema. Regarded as one of the greatest and versatile actors in the history ofIndian cinema,[6][7][8][9] he is considered acultural icon and holds amatinée idol status in theKannada diaspora,[10][11] among whom he is popularly called asNata Saarvabhouma (Emperor of Actors),Bangarada Manushya (Man of Gold),Vara Nata (Gifted actor),Gaana Gandharva (Celestial singer),Rasikara Raja (King of connoisseurs),Kannada Kanteerava andRajanna/Annavru (Elder brother, Raj). He was honoured withPadma Bhushan in 1983 andDadasaheb Phalke Award in 1995.[12] He is the only lead actor to winNational Award for Playback singing.[13] His 39 movies have been remade 63 times in 9 languages[14][15] by 34 actors[16] making him the first actor whose movies were remade more than fifty times[17] and the first actor whose movies were remade in nine languages.[18] He was the first actor in India to enact a role which was based onJames Bond in a full-fledged manner.[19] The success of his movieJedara Bale is credited to have widely inspired an Indian bond genre in other Indian film industries.[20] On the occasion of the "Centenary of Indian Cinema" in April 2013,Forbes included his performance inBangaarada Manushya on its list of "25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema".[21] Upon his death,The New York Times had described him as one of India's most popular movie stars.[22]
Trained inclassical music during his theatre days, Rajkumar also became an accomplished playback singer. He mostly sang for his films since 1974. The songsYaare Koogadali,Huttidare Kannada,Hey Dinakara,Hrudaya Samudra,Manikyaveena andNaadamaya became widely popular. For his rendition of the latter song, he was awarded theNational Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer.
He is the only Indian actor to be awarded theKentucky Colonel, the highest honour bestowed by the Commonwealth ofKentucky in the United States.[24][25] Well known for his highly disciplined and simple lifestyle both personally and professionally, he was also an avidYoga,Pranayama, andCarnatic music performer. In 2000, he waskidnapped from his farmhouse at Gajanur byVeerappan and was released after 108 days.[26] He died of cardiac arrest at his residence inBangalore on 12 April 2006 at the age of 76.[27] His eyes were donated as per his last wish.[28]
A mega icon and a socio-cultural symbol forKannadigas all over the world, he has been credited with redefiningKannada cinema and putting it on the national map.[34][35][36] He was the first actor to play the lead role in 100 as well as 200 Kannada movies.[37] His 1986 movieAnuraga Aralithu was the first Indian movie to be remade in seven other languages.[38] He has the distinction of having played the highest number of devotional, mythological and historical characters (combined).[39]
Singanalluru Puttaswamaiah Muthuraj was born on 24 April 1929 inDodda Gajanur,[40] a hamlet in theTalavady taluk. His father Puttaswamayya and mother Lakshmamma were impoverishedtheatre artists[41] from Singanalluru.[42] His mother tongue wasKannada.[43][44][45] Puttaswamayya was good at playing mythological roles such asKamsa,Ravana, andHiranyakashipu. Muthuraj left school at eight and was later discovered by film producers, who cast him insmall roles that he played till he was 25.[42]
Muthuraj started his acting career with his father in a drama troupe led byGubbi Veeranna[47][48] and later joined the drama company ofSubbaiah Naidu.[49] In 1953, he was spotted by film director H. L. N. Simha, who was on the lookout for well-built, pleasant-faced man for the starring role in film,Bedara Kannappa (1954).[11] Simha eventually signed Muthuraj for the film and named him Rajkumar.[47]
Prior toBedara Kannappa, Rajkumar had appeared as a child artist in the 1942 filmBhakta Prahlada in a small role and also in the 1952 film,Sri Srinivasa Kalyana, as Sage Agasthya, one of theSaptarishis (seven sages).[50] It was an insignificant role in which his scene was over even before he recognised himself.[51]
He acted only inKannada movies throughout his career apart from oneTelugu film,Kalahasti Mahatyam (1954), which was a remake of his debut Kannada movieBedara Kannappa.[52]
He had lead roles in 205 movies.[53] He owned a production company calledSri Vajreshwari Combines under the bannerDakshayani Combines.Bhagyada Bagilu (1968) was his 100th film,[54]Devatha Manushya (1988) was his 200th film andShabdavedhi (2000) was his last film.[55]
His character depictions ranged from mythological, historical, devotional, James Bond styled spies to romantic, rural, action roles and portrayals of contemporary social causes in the span of over five decades.[42] Rajkumar along with his contemporariesUdaya Kumar andKalyan Kumar were referred as theKumara Thrayaru of Kannada cinema. He acted in 36 films with Udaya Kumar and in 5 films with Kalyan Kumar.[56]
He has acted in around 50 movies based on novels, plays and short stories,[66] which is the highest for any actor in India. He made movies from Kannadanovels and made movies against perceived social evils in movies likeJeevana Chaitra (on evils of alcohol) andShabdavedhi (on drug abuse).[67]
His movieOperation Diamond Racket was shot in Nepal and became the first Kannada movie to be shot outside India. His movieOndu Muttina Kathe was reported to be the first ever Indian film to have an underwater action sequence shot in an ocean[86] outside India[87] without the help of oxygen mask.[88]
Rajkumar's 1971 movieKasturi Nivasa was colorised and released in 2014. Even close to a decade after his death, the movie garnered a grand opening with the actor's life-size cutout being immersed in milk. The colorised release also performed well at the box office over taking other Kannada movies released at the time.[89] His 39 movies have been remade 63 times in 9 languages by 34 actors.[90]
Rajkumar trained inclassical music when he was with Gubbi Veeranna's theatre troupe.[91] The track "Om Namaha Shivaya" from the 1956 filmOhileshwara, which he also starred in, was his first song for a film. He subsequently sang "Thumbithu Manava", a duet withS. Janaki, for the movieMahishasura Mardini (1959). However, he became a full-fledged singer only in 1974 when he sang in place ofP. B. Sreenivas forSampathige Savaal,[92] who had till then sung for most songs picturised on Rajkumar, fell ill. Rajkumar sang the energetic "Yaare Koogadali" for the film which became widely popular during the time and is considered one of his best songs.[93]
Rajkumar has been credited for having sung across various genres and each rendition according to the mood of the scene in the film. In "Yaaru Tiliyaru Ninna" forBabruvahana (1977), aprosodic form ofKannada poetry that required the tone to be a combination ofsarcasm and anger, he blended the twin skills of theatrics and music. ForNee Nanna Gellalare (1981), he sang two songs—"Jeeva Hoovagide" and "Anuraga Enaytu"—beginning both with therefrain "I love you", that is full of Carnaticgamakas. After the same tone in the refrain, they take on a life of their own with the form according to love and happiness in the former and love but a discord in the latter.[91] He is known widely for his rendition of "Nadamaya" forJeevana Chaitra (1992), a song based on theraga ofTodi and with complex graces and strings other ragas as it progresses. He switches ragas with ease, and sings complex swara patterns like a professional classical artiste. For the rendition, he was awarded theNational Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer.[94] His frequent collaboration with the composer duo ofRajan–Nagendra gave musical hits such asBangarada Hoovu (1967),Nyayave Devaru (1971),Swayamvara (1973),Sri Srinivasa Kalyana (1974),Nanobba Kalla (1979) andChalisuva Modagalu (1982).[95]
During his career, Rajkumar sang and performed for songs aboutKannadigas, the Kannada language and culture, such as "Jenina Holeyo" fromChalisuva Modagalu, "Maanavanagi Huttidmele" fromJeevana Chaitra and "Huttidare Kannada" from the filmAakasmika. He sang a complete English song called "If You Come Today" ("Tick Tick Tick") in the movieOperation Diamond Racket in 1978. This song became aninternet meme in India following Rajkumar's demise in 2006.[76]
In later years, he lent his voice to a few actors and sang background solos. For the songDeepavali Deepavali[96] fromMuddina Maava, he provided playback toS. P. Balasubrahmanyam.[97] This was a rare occasion. "Hrudaya Samudra Kalaki" fromAshwamedha and "Hey Dinakara" fromOm are the two other popular songs sung by Rajkumar for other actors.[98] He also sangKalidasashlokas such as "Maanikya Veena" andghazal-based songs such as "Sadaa Kannale", "Kanneera Dhaare" and "Yaava Kaviyu".
Rajkumar recorded many devotional songs beginning in the 1970s for Columbia Recording Company starting with "Mantralayakke Hogona" in 1972. His widely popularLP record "Guruvara Bantamma" was also recorded during the time.[99] In 1979, Sangeetha Cassettes became India's first licensed pre-recorded cassettes. Rajkumar sang the devotional songs glorifying the saintRaghavendra and the Hindu deityHanuman.[99][100]
Apart from performing in about 75 musical nights, he has sung 300 movie songs and about 200 folk and devotional songs, the proceeds of which were given away to charity.[101]
It was also noted that his versatility and diction contributed immensely to his popularity as a singer since he was able to sing songs of any style - be it qawwali, ghazal, bhajan or English songs - apart from handling a range of emotions - vivacious, romance, devotion or sarcasm.[102]
At the age of 24, Rajkumar married his 14-year-old cousin,Parvathamma, on 25 June 1953 inNanjangud.[103] This was in accordance with the betrothal that their fathers made following the latter's birth.[104][105] Together, they had five children: sonsShiva,Raghavendra andPuneeth, and daughters Lakshmi and Poornima. Having lived a "hand to mouth existence" after marriage in ajoint family that included 24 children inMadras, the family moved toBangalore in 1972, after Rajkumar began getting multiple film offers.[106]
On 30 July 2000, Rajkumar, his son-in-law Govindaraju and two others were abducted byVeerappan from the actor's palatial house atGajanur. Veerappan demanded the release of his gang members who were being held in jail under a defunct anti-terrorism law. The event prompted a massive manhunt and threw theKarnataka government into crisis. TheSupreme Court of India opined that it was "unpardonable" on the part of thegovernment of Tamil Nadu for not providing security to Rajkumar, although they had information a year earlier that he faced a threat of being kidnapped by Veerappan.[107] ASpecial Task Force (STF) set up to capture Veerapan had earlier warned Rajkumar against visiting the farmhouse, and his son Raghavendra later acknowledged that his father had not taken the threat seriously.[108]
After a total of 108 days in captivity,[109] Rajkumar was released unharmed on 15 November 2000. His abduction and the manner in which his release was secured remains a mystery.[26][100][110]
On 12 April 2006, Rajkumar returned to hisSadashivanagar residence after his regular 20-minute walk and had ageneral medical check-up by 11:30 a.m. (IST). At 1:50 pm (IST), as he sat on a sofa, he asked a member of his family to slow the fan down and immediately collapsed. His personal physician Ramana Rao was called for, who rushed within three minutes, and performed external cardiac massage andmouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Rajkumar was then taken to MS Ramaiah Memorial Hospital and was administered intracardiac injections. Efforts to revive him failed and he was pronounced dead at 2:05 pm (IST). His death occurred 12 days before his 77th birthday.[111] Hiseyes were donated to two visually impaired persons the same day.[112]
Rajkumar's death triggered an outpouring of grief. There was major shutdown in the city ofBengaluru. An unofficialbandh (closure of all shops and other establishments) was observed. Several people attempted suicide after hearing the news; most of them were rescued. The funeral cortège the next day started fromSree Kanteerava Stadium toKanteerava Studios a few minutes before 12:30 pm (IST), a distance of 14 kilometres (8.7 mi).[113] Around two million people followed his remains.[27] However, the entire procession was marked with violence with mourners attacking public property, and police, who resorted tolathi-charge andtear gas.[114] Passing through Krishna Raja Circle, Palace Road, T. Chowdiah Road, Sadashivanagar,Yeswanthpur and Goraguntepalya localities, the cortège reached the Studios at 4:45 pm (IST). His body was buried withState honours at 5:45 p.m (IST) at the premises of the studios. The last rites were performed by his eldest son Shiva, guided by priests from the city'sISKCON and the Gayathri Temples.[113]
The then President of India,A.P.J. Abdul Kalam had condoled his death. In the condolence message, he had praised his versatility and everlasting contributions to the Indian cinema.[115]
On 19 April, thegovernment of Karnataka announced that amemorial would be made in Rajkumar's honour at Kanteerava Studios in association with the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce at the cost₹ 100 million.[116] The blueprint of the memorial was cleared by a panel comprising members of Rajkumar's family, representatives of the Kannada film industry and the state government.[117] After a delay over allocation of funds and land, it was finally opened in November 2014, after a sum of₹ 70 million was used in developing it over an area of 2.5 acres (1.0 ha). It included "an open-air auditorium, mini-water body, landscaping and a bust" of Rajkumar. 40 photographs of selected films of Rajkumar were kept on display at the inauguration.[118] A permanent exhibition on the history ofRajkumar's films that included his photographs, trophies and souvenirs, alongside a stock of dialogue, scripts, songs and other memorabilia associated with him were put on display. An annualcalendar for 2012 was released containing photographs of Rajkumar and stills from his films.[119] His fan clubs conduct blood donation and eye donation camps on the occasion of his birth and death anniversaries every year.[120]
After his death, two audio companies - Saregama India Limited and Mars Recording Private Limited - were pitted against each other over the copyright of his songs as perSection 52(j) of The Copyright Act, 1957.[121]
It was observed that after 15 years into his career, in the mid sixties, when new young filmmakers were searching for actors who were less theatrical, Rajkumar had to undergo a transformation in his acting style and succeeded in proving that he could handle roles which were subtle, mellow and soft without the need for theatrical histrionics.[122] He went on to be known for portraying versatile roles with elan.[123]
He was also praised for his ability to integrate actors' virtues with the power of a superstar without letting one erase the other by acting as a gulf between mainstream popular movies and artistic cinemas.[124] It was also noted that it was his subtle acting prowess, spontaneous style and his flair to give the reel characters a real credibility which singled him out to the top and helped him to never be out of the running by withstanding the onslaught of time, age and the ever changing demands of celluloid world.[125]
Amitabh Bachchan had praised Rajkumar's simplicity and his ability to perform any role to perfection.[127]Anil Kapoor called him the "emperor of all the actors"[128] and a pride of Indian film industry.[129]
Girish Kasaravalli had called him a great actor by any standards.[130]Jayanth Kaikini had said that the variety and intensity which Rajkumar had managed as an actor was unmatched world over.[131]
When Rajkumar completed 200 movies in lead roles in Kannada films,P. Lankesh edited a special issue ofLankesh Patrike in 1988 titledInnooru Chitragala Raja dedicating to him.[132]
Rajkumar made movies against perceived social evils throughout his career. His debut movieBedara Kannappa (1954) addressed social discrimination.[133] The 1957 movieRayara Sose speaks against the evil practice ofdowry.[134] The 1958 movieShree Krishna Gaarudi, which narrates the bickering and squabbling among the Pandavas for portfolios, allegorises the politics in the then newly formed Mysore state.[135][136]
The 1962 movieBhoodana was basedVinoba Bhave'sBhoodan movement and speaks about the religious conversion of the marginalised.[137] The 1964 movieNaandi was acclaimed for capturing the real-time plights of those with hearing impairments.[138] The 1967 movieBangarada Hoovu spoke about misconceptions aboutleprosy[139] - especially the notion that leprosy is a consequence of one's past sins.[140] The 1968 movieHannele Chiguridaga deals with the empowerment of women in education and widow marriage.[141] The 1968 movieMannina Maga depicted the difficulty of sustaining community life in a city resulting in turn away from it in favour of a village.[142] The 1969 movieUyyale presents a delicate tale of the extra-marital love of a woman neglected by her husband[143] reflecting the social and moral laws of married life.[144] The 1969 movieMayor Muthanna had a sub-plot of salvaging of the sub-standard grain andblack marketing.[145]
The 1971 movieKasturi Nivasa charts the rise of modern manufacturing techniques and the ill effects of orthodox approach towards upgradation of technology.[146] The 1971 movieSakshatkara speaks about superstitions and manipulation of beliefs.[147] The central theme of 1972 movieBangaarada Manushya - returning to one's ancestral village - inspired youth to take up agriculture.[148] The film also touched on very important topics like rural development, modern agricultural practices andco-operative movement.[149] The 1973 movieBidugade speaks aboutcapital punishment based oncircumstantial evidence be done away with. The 1973 movieGandhada Gudi was reported to be the first Indian movie made on the concept of protection of forest and wildlife conservation[150] with a focus on the need to preserve the flora and fauna at a time when theCITES treaty was signed with an aim to reduce the economic incentive to poach endangered species.[151] The 1974 movieSampathige Savaal speaks subtely about the abolishment ofZamindar system[152] by portraying the rich versus poor in a rural backdrop.[153]
The 1985 movieJwaalamukhi speaks about marks card forgery.[154] The 1985 movieDhruva Thare speaks about the oppression by the higher class and the need for the minimum wages. The 1986 movieAnuraga Aralithu speaks about the implementation of labour reforms in factory.[63] The 1987 movieShruthi Seridaaga made a strong statement against believing horoscope blindly. The 1987 movieOndu Muttina Kathe was a narration on how the value of objects differ across the social strata, especially among the literate and the illiterate.[155]
The 1992 movieJeevana Chaitra instigated many villages to ban arrack shops.[156][157] The 1993 movieAakasmika was about woman trafficking and prostitution racquet.[158]
His last movieShabdavedhi (2000) was about drug abuse and its ill effects on the youth.[67]
Veteran journalist and writerPatil Puttappa had described Rajkumar as a natural strength of Kannada whose mass appeal was much more than any leader in Indian politics.[159] He was also praised for confining himself to the Kannada cinema through a conscious decision.[77] His movies were praised for showing consistent interest in building a Kannada society and not a Kannada nation as such.[160] They were also noted for holding up the value of civility and refrain from peddling hatred.[161] His presence was reported to have filled the void between the state and the nation which neither the littérateurs nor the politicians could accomplish.[162]
Some observers are of the opinion that his star appeal helped bring together the diverse regions of Karnataka. The state was carved out in 1956, bringing together different regions like Hyderabad Karnataka, which were areas ruled by the erstwhile Nizam of Hyderabad; Mumbai Karnataka, which has a strong Marathi influence; Old Mysore region ruled by the Mysore royal family and the hilly regions and coastal belt. Each region has a distinct identity within the state and Rajkumar was accepted as a Kannada icon across all regions. He spoke Kannada in a distinct way which had a universal appeal across the state. This was an important aspect since his career played out when the state's identity was still evolving.[163] Rajkumar's movies were largely credited for creating a unified Kannada cultural space after the formation of the state.[164] It was reported that before linguistic reorganisation of the states, the default state border for the Kannada speaking population was the last point where Rajkumar films were distributed.[165]
He was considered as a strong symbol of Kannada identity.[166] Bollywood actorPrithviraj Kapoor had requested Rajkumar to act with him in a Hindi movie but Rajkumar had refused the offer in spite of Hindi movies having wider market than Kannada. Later, Prithviraj Kapoor went on to share the screen with him in the Kannada movieSakshatkara directed byPuttanna Kanagal.[167] He had also refused to appear in a cameo forAmitabh Bachchan's 1983 Hindi movieCoolie as he did not want to appear in a non-Kannada movie. Further, he thought that it would not be good for an actor to look down on another actor as the scene involved Amitabh touching the feet of Rajkumar's character - a sequence which appeared before the introduction song of Amitabh's character.[168] In spite of having appeared only in Kannada movies, he was reasonably popular amongst the non- Kannadigas too.[169] His films have inspired many non-Kannadigas to learn the language.[170] In spite of strong Kannada conservatism in his movies, they were noted to have transcended the barriers of language to connect with the ethos of the nation.[171]
Kuvempu considered him to be the most suitable ambassador to propagate his idea ofUniversal Human (Vishwamanava).[148] His 1972 movieBangaarada Manushya was credited for inspiring the urban youth to take up farming by popularising modern farming technology.[172]
Bollywood actorAnil Kapoor had called him "The emperor of all actors".[173]Rana Daggubati had revealed that he had referred Rajkumar's performance in the 1983 movieBhakta Prahlada for his preparation for the role of Hiranyakashipu.[174]
During the interview for promotions of2.0,Rajinikanth had said that 10MGRs were equal to 1 Rajkumar.[175]Rajinikanth had also revealed that the only autograph he has ever taken in his life is of Rajkumar.[176] He had also remarked that Rajkumar was a combination ofMGR andSivaji Ganesan.[177]Vishnuvardhan said he was biggest worshipper of Rajkumar.[178]
B. Saroja Devi called upon the present generation artistes to adopt and emulate the values and ideals cherished by the actor for the growth of the Kannada film industry.[179]
After Rajkumar's eyes were donated as per his last wish, the eye donation in Karnataka was reported to have increased by 400%.[182] The director of the 2021 Kannada movieAkshi which won theNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada at the67th National Film Awards had revealed that the act of eye donation by Rajkumar was the inspiration for the plot of his movie.[183]
The initial move to shift the operations of the Kannada cinema gradually from Madras to Bangalore has been credited to Rajkumar's home productions.[184]
As of April 2016, 71 books and 9 souvenirs have been published on Rajkumar.[185] In 2015, after 15 years of research, Doddahulluru Rukkoji released a two-volume, 2,148 page book chronicling Rajkumar's life and achievements.[186] As of May 2023, close to 100 statues of Rajkumar were found in Bangalore alone.[187][188][189]
On the occasion of Rajkumar's 90th birthday, an audio-visual musical extravaganza fund raiser programme titledRaj Vaibhava was conducted inGreater Boston for the benefit of a retirement home in Mumbai.[190] In 2012, an entertainment programme calledDr.Raj Vaibhava based on his movies and songs was conducted inKuwait in his honour.[191]
The tableau ofKrishnadevaraya at the 2021Delhi Republic Day parade was reported to be modelled on Rajkumar.[195] The team of the Kannada movieDaredevil Musthafa released an animation song as a tribute to Rajkumar based on the popular theatre songNinnanthor Yaaru Ilvallo composed byB. V. Karanth in the honour of Mysore KingKanthirava Narasaraja I whose role was portrayed by Rajkumar in the 1960 movieRanadheera Kanteerava.[196] Flower show conducted atLal Bagh as a tribute to him on the occasion of 75th Independence Day in August 2022 was attended by 8.34 lakh people generating a revenue of ₹3.33 crore.[197]
Political analyst MK Bhaskar Rao had revealed that the Janata Party'sJ. H. Patel andGeorge Fernandes had approached Rajkumar to contest againstIndira Gandhi in the 1978 Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha byelection but he refused saying he wanted to remain apolitical.[198]
The Hindu had reported that Rajkumar could have swept any poll effortlessly but had decided that the affection and love of the people should not be used to attain power.[199] In the absence of a dedicated political movement for the cause of Kannada and local culture, Rajkumar was considered to have symbolised the hope and angst of a large section of Kannadigas.[200] However, Rajkumar declined to enter politics despite immense pressure as he did not want to be used only as a weapon to defeat anyone and not for any positive contribution.[201][202] He shunned publicity and politics all his life.[203] He dissociated himself from the fans’ association when its office-bearers decided to contest elections in 1985.[204] He was also credited for protecting and promoting the Kannada language[205] without opting for a political career.[206]
Rajkumar was known for being a highly disciplined man in both his personal and professional lives.[207] He practisedCarnatic music for an hour each day in the morning and in the evening. He was referred to asGaanagandharva (translation: a heavenly singer).[208] His punctuality is another noted aspect. Waking up every morning at 4 am, he performedYoga andPranayama, which is said to be the reason behind his physical and mental fitness.[209] His Yoga performances can be seen in the first clips of his filmKaamana Billu.[210] His waist size was 32 at the time of his death. This fitness is attributed to his practice of Yoga.[211] ActorJohn Kokken had revealed that Rajkumar was the inspiration behind him performing Yoga every day.[212]
He shunned smoking and drinking both on screen and off.[42] To avoid setting a precedent among his fans, he made sure that the roles he accepted did not require him to smoke or drink or utter swear words, and extended this decision to real life.[11] His dress code always consisted of a simple whitedhoti and shirt. He spent most of his vacations in his hometown,Gajanur, near the forest area where he was later abducted.[213]
In 1961, he led a movement to collect funds for drought relief.[214] He would always refer to his movie-producers asAnna Daataru (food providers) and adored fans asAbhimaani Devarugalu (Fan Gods).[215]
He was a devotee ofRaghavendra Swami.[216] When Dr. Rajkumar was chosen for the role of saint Raghavendra Swamiji forMantralaya Mahatme by T.V. Singh Thakur in 1966, there was an objection from the Madhwa community. They were against a non-vegetarian playing the role of Mantralaya seer. However, Dr. Rajkumar gave up non-vegetarian food and lived like a saint during the entire shoot of the film.[217]
Reminiscing his old days, Kannada director J.G.Krishna had revealed that Rajkumar was responsible for light boys being served food by the film production team after he discovered that they were not being served food on the sets and took initiative to make it mandatory for all Kannada film producers to bear the food cost of the light boys treating them on par with the employees of the production house.[221] DirectorDinakar Thoogudeepa had revealed that their Mysore home was named "Mu.Pa.Krupa" after Rajkumar ("Muthuraj - Parvathamma") in order to honour their help and guidance given to his parents.[222]
In 2001, he startedShaktidhaama - a rehabilitation home for 800 destitute women who were rescued from prostitution.[223] He endorsedKarnataka Milk Federation'sNandini brand of milk for free.[224]
A touching testimonial to his commitment to lead by example was that he had pledged his eyes in 1994 at the time of inauguration of Dr. Rajkumar Eye Bank and he rightly did so after his death in 2006.[225] His act of eye donation was likened to the role in his debut movieBedara Kannappa where he plucks his eyes in the climax to replace the bleeding eyes of theShivalinga.[226]
Although Rajkumar rejected numerous offers[227] to don the political mantle, he was able to influence the State's political fortunes without ever being officially involved in politics. Despite his apolitical outlook, he was able to protect and espouse the cause of Kannada and Karnataka.[11] He continually advocated the cause of seeking primacy for Kannada,[228][229] was asked to lead a movement to make Kannada a compulsory language for primary education based on the "Gokak report", popularly known asGokak Varadhi. He became actively involved in the movement and soon became the force behind theGokak movement. He led rallies fromBelagavi toBengaluru and gave speeches about the importance of KannadaGokak agitation. Millions of people gathered for the opportunity to have a glimpse of Rajkumar and listen to his speeches. The power of this movement caused the government to relent and make Kannada a compulsory language of education in Karnataka.[11]
Rajkumar was awarded numerous State, National and International awards. He was a recipient of thePadma Bhushan; an honorary doctorate fromMysore University and also theKarnataka Ratna, the highest civilian honour of the State of Karnataka.[230]
In 1995, he received theDadasaheb Phalke Award for his outstanding contributions to the Kannada film industry.[232]
In 2011, during the 83rd birth anniversary of Rajkumar, theChief Minister of Karnataka announced that the state government recommended that he be awarded aBharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of the country, for his outstanding contributions to the film industry.[233] He was reported to be the first actor whose first movie won the National Award for Best Picture ( Certificate of Merit).[234] He was also the first actor to complete 100 movies in the lead role in Kannada.[37]
The British daily newspaperThe Guardian praised him for his subtle acting and described him as a humble, modest being who was a symbol of Kannada consciousness.[238]
TheNew York-based American newspaperThe New York Times described him as "an epitome of good character not just in movies but also in real life".[239]
TheCalifornia-based daily newspaperEast Bay Times praised him for never having smoked cigarettes on screen and never playing a drunkard after his early days.[240]
ABC News - the news division ofWalt Disney Television – acknowledged him as one of the greatest actors of his time and called himThe Gentle Giant of Karnataka.[241]
TheRome-headquartered global news agencyInter Press Service(IPS) observed that Rajkumar epitomised the breaking away of the Kannada cinema from the older Tamil cinema which then had an overarching influence in the southern India.[242]
The American dailyThe Washington Post called him "one of the region's best-loved figures who had millions of fiercely devoted fans".[243]
TheWashington, D.C.–based American media organisationNPR called him "a role model, community leader and an aesthete".[244]
The Irish daily newspaperThe Irish Times called him a veteran matinee idol and a cultural icon beloved by all.[245]
TheDubai based English daily newspaperGulf News called him "a polite man, a philanthropist, who led a simple life".[246]
The British broadcasterBBC called him an Indian film legend who was one of the best-loved figures in southern India.[247]
The U.S. based multimedia agencyVoice of America (VOA) called him one of southern India's most famous actors known for never smoking cigarettes or playing a drunkard on-screen.[248]
WarnerMedia ownedCNN recognised him as one of southern India's most famous film stars.[249]
The British news publisherThe Independent called him one of India's best-loved actors and the biggest star the Kannada film industry has ever produced.[250]
A biographical book on Rajkumar compiled byPuneeth Rajkumar titledDr. Rajkumar:The Person Behind The Personality was officially handed over toBritish Library, London.[252]
On 1 November 2009, postal stamp bearing the actor's likeness was issued by theCentral Government of India[255] – First Kannada actor to receive that honour.[256]
In April 2013,Forbes India had included Rajkumar's performance inBangarada Manushya in its list of25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema on the eve of the centenary celebrations of Indian cinema.[257][258][259]
In 2016, theMaharashtra State Government had prescribed the biography of the actor for its class VIII students detailing his achievements and contributions to the Kannada culture[261] under the titleNatasarvabhouma.[262]
On 24 April 2017,Google India dedicated aGoogle Doodle in his honour.[263] – Second Indian actor to receive that honour.
The State Government establishedDr. Rajkumar Award in 1993–94 to be given for lifetime achievement towards contributions toKannada cinema - making him the first Indian actor in whose name a State Government established an award while he was still alive.
In 1993, there were calls thatMysore Dasara should not be celebrated by the Karnataka State Government that year on account of loss of lives caused by the1993 Latur earthquake in the neighbouring state ofMaharashtra. However, then-CMVeerappa Moily decided to invite Dr. Rajkumar to inaugurate the Dasara with a view to silence his critics opposing the celebrations. This was the first instance of inauguration of Dasara proceedings by a popular public figure - thereby starting a new tradition of State Government officially inviting dignitaries to inaugurate Dasara.[270]
A 6-kilometre (3.7 mi) road was named Dr. Rajkumar Road[271] on 27 January 1994.[272] The road stretches from the government soap factory and World Trade Center (Orion mall) inYeshwanthpur to Prasanna theatre, Magadi road in Bangalore.
He was felicitated by the Karnataka State Government on completion of 50 years in the Kannada film industry for his rich contributions to the celluloid world.[228][229]
In 2010, the Karnataka State Government had announced to build a film city in memory of Rajkumar andVishnuvardhan based on the model ofRamoji Film City.[274]
The 11.5 km road connecting Nayandahalli Junction and Tumkur Road titled as Dr.Rajkumar Punyabhoomi Raste where it passes through (Kanteerava studio) Raj's Monument.[275]
In 2017, the Karnataka State Government had prescribed his biography and contributions to Kannada cinema for its Class V students and a mention of his contributions to Kannada culture for its Class VI students.[276]
A garden depicting sequences from his movies through sculptures had been established at Gotagodi,Haveri.[277]
In August 2022, on the occasion of 75th Independence Day, flower show themed on the life journey of Rajkumar and his sonPuneeth Rajkumar was conducted atLal Bagh as a tribute to them[278] which included the bust of the actor along with 205 portraits of his films.[279]
In 2020, on the occasion ofKarnataka Rajyotsava,[292] gold and silver coins engraved with his face on one side and the Karnataka State symbolGandaberunda engraved on the other side were released in his memory.[293]
In July 2005, the government of Karnataka captioned byN. Dharam Singh, theChief Minister of Karnataka conducted a felicitation ceremony for honouring Rajkumar for his (50 years of) service toKarnataka atBangalore Palace namedSarthaka Suvarna (Significant Gold). This ceremony was attended by the entire Kannada film industry marking respect and tribute to thelegend, and could be called an official celebration ofGolden Jubilee of Rajkumar's works and services to theKannada film industry.[294] ABiography on Rajkumar, written byA.N.Prahlada Rao, was released on the occasion.[295]
^Vijayasarathy, R.G. (17 April 2006)."The best of Dr Rajkumar". Rediff India Abroad.Archived from the original on 16 August 2007. Retrieved25 September 2007.
^abSastry, Anil Kumar; Subramanya, K. V. (14 April 2006)."Rajkumar laid to rest".The Hindu. Archived fromthe original on 24 April 2017. Retrieved24 April 2017.
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