Rajkumar

Who was Rajkumar?

Singanalluru Puttaswamayya Muthuraju, known mononymously by his screen name Rajkumar was an actor and singer in the Kannada film industry. He is considered a cultural icon of Kannada, where he is also known as Rajanna, Natasarvabhouma, Gaana Gandharva, and as Annavru.

A method actor, Rajkumar entered the film industry at the age of eight and got his first break as a lead in the 1954 film Bedara Kannappa and went on to work in over 220 films. At the age of 71, he was kidnapped in Gajanur by forest brigand Veerappan during a 108-day ordeal when he was released. He died of cardiac arrest at his residence in Bangalore on 12 April 2006.

In his film career, Rajkumar received eleven Karnataka State Film Awards, ten South Filmfare Awards, two National Film Awards and a National Film Award for Best Playback Singer. He received in 2002 the NTR National Award. He was also awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Mysore, and is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1995.