There was an overwhelming response to the Kannada film 'James' starring late actor Puneeth Rajkumar, fondly called Appu, in Mysuru on Thursday.
The film has been released on March 17, coinciding with Puneeth's birthday.
Actor Shivarajkumar and brother of Puneeth visited Gayathri Talkies, where the film is being screened, and interacted with the fans.
He told reporters that it was emotional while dubbing for Puneeth for the film. "Puneeth has not left us but stays with us forever through his films and good memories. Celebrating his birthday in his absence is very painful to the family members," he said.
To a query, he said that he will be happy if the film city is named after Puneeth. "However, I will not stress on it as a family member. There are several others who have made achievements in the film industry," he said.
An ardent fan and the villagers of Paduvarahalli have constructed a structure with Puneeth Rajkumar's statue at a cost of Rs 5 lakh. Actor Shivarajkumar has accepted the request to open the structure, it is said. Mass feeding has been organised for more than 5,000 people on the occasion.
The fans had gathered in large numbers before the theatres holding Puneeth's posters. Several programmes like blood donation camps, distribution of food and other things have been organised as part of the late actor's birthday in Mysuru.
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Published 17 March 2022, 09:09 IST