When a young Puneeth was petrified by Rajkumar's ferocious act in 'Bhakta Prahlada'

Puneeth was a hyper-active child who grew up to be a fitness enthusiast, star and finally, a humble human being like his father

As a child artiste, Puneeth Rajkumar won our hearts with his energetic performances. The manner in which he held his own against his father Dr Rajkumar, a legendary actor, was commendable.

Many were left mesmerised by his acting in ‘Bhakta Prahlada’ (1983) but not many know that the eight-year-old was petrified by Rajkumar’s ferocious act as the demonic Hiranyakashipu in the mythological film.

Puneeth found it difficult to stand opposite Rajkumar and do the scenes. It took some consoling from the crew for Puneeth to shed his nervousness and deliver a memorable performance.

On Friday, I was shattered to know that Puneeth had passed away. I remember him as a hyper-active and curious kid who grew up to be a fitness enthusiast. As an actor, he had inherited his father’s talent. More importantly, his humility came from Dr Rajkumar.

I saw Puneeth during the inauguration of Lohith Farm (Now Puneeth Farm), outside Bengaluru. We watched Rajkumar’s 55th birthday celebration on video and I can’t forget how Puneeth enjoyed every bit of it.

The next time I saw Puneeth was in 1994, at a hospital in Bengaluru, where my husband Kishore worked as a senior administrator. Rajkumar was advised six sessions of physiotherapy. Puneeth, along with his sister Poornima, would come to the hospital three times a week.

As a celebrity, he was known for his admirable fitness regime. I saw his interest in workouts and sports back then. Puneeth often visited the sports medicine division and wanted to learn more about gym equipment. As a 19-year-old, he had a boyish look and some teenage fat. He was healthy, yet his focus was on becoming fitter.

My third meeting wasn’t a happy one as I had gone to Rajkumar’s house in Sadashivanagar. The atmosphere was grim as the thespian was kidnapped by forest brigand Veerappan in 2000. Puneeth was worried and confessed, “We don’t know how to cope.”

I see his passing as a case of sudden death syndrome. When there is unaccustomed stress on the heart, it can lead to acute cardiac strain.

Puneeth’s rendering of his father’s hit song ‘Ninna kangala bisiya hanigalu’ suits the mood of the state. Tweaking the song a bit, I would say our warm tears show the grief of your absence, Puneeth. You will be missed.

(As told to Vivek M V)

(The author has a long-
standing association with the Rajkumar family and is a health management
consultant and writer.)

Yogaraj Bhat’s moving tribute

The Kannada film industry is yet to come to terms with the untimely death of ‘Power Star’ Puneeth Rajkumar. Yogaraj Bhat, who directed the classy romantic drama ‘Paraamatma’ with Puneeth, dedicated a farewell song to the 46-year-old.

The song, ‘Namma olavina paramatma shashvata’, was recorded a day after Puneeth’s death. It is a sad version of the hit number ‘Hesaru poorthi helade’, sung by Punarvasu Bhat and recorded by V Harikrishna. It reached the hearts of despondent fans, who widely shared it across social media platforms.

In a moving tribute to Puneeth, the seasoned director wrote on social media, “This isn’t your end but the beginning. You will live on in our hearts through your work.”