Puneeth Rajkumar, one of the biggest names in the Kannada film industry, passed away on Friday much to the shock of movie buffs. The heartthrob, who began his career as an infant with a small role in the yesteryear classic Premada Kanike, enjoyed an enviable fan following due to his impressive screen presence and effective dialogue delivery. As Kannada cinema bids adieu to its 'Powerstar', here is a look at why Puneeth was more than just a reel hero.
Young achiever
The actor began his acting career as a child artiste and garnered a fair deal of attention with his work in Rajkumar's popular films Chalisuva Modagalu and Eradu Nakshatragalu. It was, however, the 1985 release Bettava Hoovu that proved to be his best work in the 80s as it helped him win the National Award for 'Best Child Actor'. These outings helped him gain some valuable experience and paved the way for his 'official debut,
Beating the odds
Puneeth had the odds stacked against him when he made his debut with Appu as fans expected him to live up to the standards set by 'Annavru' and his brother Shivarajkumar. The future A-lister rose to the occasion and delivered a lively performance in the Puri Jagannadh-helmed comedy, which emerged as a big hit at the box office. He went on to entertain the audience with his work in flicks such as Hudugaru, Vamshi, Jackie, and the 'industry hit' Rajakumara.
Multi-talented artist
The mass hero was an accomplished singer and frequently collaborated with top musicians such as Arjun Janya, Jassie Gift, V Harikrishna and Gurukiran to name a few. His popular numbers include Jothe Jotheyali (Vamshi), Maduve Munji (Nanna Ninna Kathe) and Jhanak Jhanak (Run Anthony). He also lent his voice to the S Thaman-composed Yenaithu from Chakravyuha. The star had a successful stint on TV as he hosted the Kannada version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? He later hosted Family Power which got good patronage.
Eye for talent
Puneeth's eye for good content helped him give back to the industry that made him a household name. The star ventured into production with Kavaludaari which proved to be a gamechanger for actor Rishi. He followed it up with Mayabazar 2016 and Danish Sait's French Biriyani. He also backed Law, which marked actor Ragini's acting debut. The general perception was that he was willing to support good content regardless of the scale.
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