There's no denying the fact that Puneeth Rajkumar is one of the most bankable stars in Kannada cinema. A bonafide 'A-lister', he enjoys a strong fan following due to his impressive screen presence and intelligent selection of roles. During his career, 'Appu' has starred in quite a few well-received movies and proved that he means business. While everyone is aware of his box office stamina, not many remember that he was a part of the Kannada hit Premada Kanike (1976) that featured Sandalwood icon and his father Rajkumar in the lead.
Puneeth, who was an infant when the film was shot, appeared in a key scene of the film and stole hearts with his innocent look. Premada Kanike, directed by V Somashekhar, was a thriller that revolved around what happens when a woman witnesses a murder on a train. The movie had an impressive cast that included Jayamala and Aarathi. The blockbuster redefined the thriller genre in Sandalwood.
Premada Kanike was later remade in Tamil as Polladhavan with 'Superstar' Rajinikanth in the lead, which emerged as a success. The Hindi version titled Raaz starred Raj Babbar as the protagonist.
Coming back to the present, 'Annavru' is no more but lives on through his films. On the other hand, Puneeth is going through a busy phase on the work front. 'Powerstar' was last seen in the 2019 release Natasaarvabhowma that opened to a good response at the box office. The film featured popular actress Rachita Ram and Premam star Anupama Parameswaran as the leading ladies, which created a buzz among fans. He will next be seen in the eagerly-awaited Yuvarathnaa that marks his first collaboration with Kollywood actress Sayyeshaa. He also has the Chetan Kumar-helmed James in his kitty. One is likely to get clarity on their release dates once the COVID-19 situation improves and things return to normal.