Biography Of Dr. Rajkumar

Natasarvabhauma Dr. Rajkumar was born on April 24, 1929. Famous actor and singer known as Dhruvatare of Kannada cinema. Dr.Raj is one of the most popular personalities of Karnataka who has acted in more than 200 films in a career spanning almost five decades.

Not only as an actor, he has also made a name for himself as a playback singer. Natasarvabhauma title and honorary doctorate degree from University of Mysore. And Nadoja graduated from Hampi University. He has also received the prestigious Padma Bhushan Award from the Government of India and Dada Saheb Phalke Awards for Lifetime Achievement in Cinema. Awarded as Karnataka Ratna by the Government of Karnataka. Rajkumar, who was abducted in 2000 by the notorious dentist Veerappan, was released after 108 days. Died of a heart attack on 12 April 2006 in Bangalore.

Theater and Father's Influence:

Dr. Raj's name was Muthuraja before he acted as the hero in Bedara Kannappa. Muthuraja's father Singanallur Puttaswamayya was a big name in Kannada theater in the 1930s-1950s. Puttaswamayya, who was known for his violent roles, was an artiste in the Gubbi company. Due to poverty, Muthuraj's education stopped at the fourth standard.

The knob company itself became the university. Muthu Raj, who followed his father like a shadow, was trained by him. He used to play small roles in plays. Dr. Rajkumar's father's influence in his life is immense. When the Phalke award was announced, the first thing he remembered were his father's words.

When Puttaswamayya was acting in Gubbi's company, Muthuraju got a small role in the play "Krishna Leela". A few days later, when Puttaswamayya left Gubbi's company and joined MV Subbiah Naidu's Sri Sahitya Samaraya Natak Mandal, Muthuraj accidentally got the role of Ambareesha as Ramakanth in the play "Ambareesha".

Later in the drama "Kurukshetra" the father played the role of Bhima and the son played the role of Arjuna. For Rajkumar, this is stage training. Father Puttaswamayya died in 1951. Muthuraj, reeling from the shock of the landing, again joined the Gubbi company and acted in the play "Bhoo Kailasa". Apart from Gubbi Company, Rajkumar also served for one year in Shree Sahitya Mandali, Seshacharya's Sesha Kamal Natak Mandal.

Film debut as a hero:

Muthuraj was active in theatre, acting as a child actor in the 1942 film "Bhakta Prahlada" and as one of the saptarshis in the 1952 film "Sree Srinivasa Kalyana" directed by Shankersingh.

In 1953, the Muthuraj couple, who were married till August, were at the railway station to leave Nanjangud for Mysore. At the same time H.L.N.Sinha also came there to go to Mysore. He had seen Muthu Raj since childhood. On that day, he met the couple at the railway station and spoke to them lovingly and inquired about their well-being.

It was time to find a new actor for the role of Simha Kannappa. That day, as soon as I saw Alu Muttraj, who was very handsome, I felt, "Why not make him Kannappa?" After getting the address from Muthuraj, Singh bid farewell to the couple. A few days after the above incident took place, there was a performance of Bedara Kannappa in the town hall of Mysore.

The Simharas came to know that Muthuraj would play the role of Kannappa in it. That day, after watching the half-hour play, Simha was happy to see Muthuraj's unique performance. Gubbi thought that he was the right man for the role of Kannappa in Bedara Kannappa, which was being produced by Gubbi Karnataka Films, and approached the producer AVM Chettiar, and conveyed the matter to Gubbi Veeranna, who was the co-producer of the film.

Later, Muthuraj invited GV Iyer and Narasimha Raju to come to Madras for a 'screen test'. Muthuraj was given the new name Rajakumar by director H.L.N.Sinha. Rajkumar Bedera Kannappa acted as the hero of the film.

Chatra was released everywhere in the then Mysore state in May 1954. Bedara Kannappa became the first film to win the National Award, marking a milestone in the Kannada film industry. After seeing Madrasu 'screen test', producer AVM Chettiar went to HLN Singha and asked him, "What are you going to do with this long nosed and toothy eyebrow guy. But HLN Singha told the producer, .V.M. Chettiar, said that these are the right people and gave him over.

Film Life:

Rajkumar, who started acting as a lead actor with Bedara Kannappa, went on to act in major Bhakti films like Bhakta Vijaya, Haribhakta, Ohileshwara, Bhukailasa, Bhakta Kanakadasa, Navakoti Narayana (Bhakta Purandaradasa). He is the only Kannada artist to act as a hero in 200 films.

In the 1960s, Raj starred in social films like Kanteredu Nodu, Chatigopur, Nandadeepa, Saku Dattaya, Nandi, historical films like Ranadhira Kantheerava, Kittoor Chennamma, Immadi Pulikeshi, Sri Krishnadeva Raya.

Raj's performance as a classical musician in the 1966 film Sangeet Pradhan Sandhyaraaga was sung by renowned Indian classical singers Dr. Balamurali Krishna and Pandit Bhimasena Joshi. Rajkumar played the role of Shri Raghavendra Swamy in the film Mantralaya Mahatme, released this year, and he has said in several interviews that his performance in this film is more satisfying than any other film in his career.

In 1968, Jedara Bale, which was released, marked the beginning of the film series based on the role of a James Bond-type spy. In this series he acted as an agent named 'Prakash' (Agent 999). Other films in the series include C.I.D. in Operation Jackpot. 999, C.I.D. in Goa. 999 and Operation Diamond Rocket. Apart from this, C.I.D. Raj acted as a C.I.D in Rajanna.

Rajkumar's 100th film, Bhagya's Door, was released in 1968. On this occasion, he was honored with the title Natasarvabhauma and a movie of the same name (Natasarvabhauma) was also made.

Although the film began with a plan to combine footage from over a hundred of Rajkumar's previous films, some footage was dropped due to lack of space.

1971 releases Kasturi Niwas and Sakshatkara were among Raj's most popular films. In these films, the songs Aodisinodu Pariysi Nodu Uruli Godu and Olave Jeevan Sakshattkara are popular songs.

The movie that shot Rajkumar to the top of his fame was Bangarad Manshin which opened in 1971. It set a new record for running in theaters for more than two consecutive years. This record is still unpublished in Kannada cinema. Rajeevappa, played by Raj in this film, became one of the most popular characters in Kannada cinema.

Rajkumar's 150th film, released in 1973, was Gandhad Gudi. Another famous actor of Kannada cinema, Vishnuvardhan, acted in this film, where Raj played the role of a forest ranger. Critics felt that Raj's performance in the 1974 film Bhakta Kumbara was charming and very emotional.

Raj started singing as a playback singer in all his subsequent films with the song Yare Kugadali, Oore Luthalili from the film Samwatike Saawal released in the same year. Released in 1975, the film Mayura is based on the first ruler of Kannada, Kadambara Mayuravarma. The song Naniruude for you, Nadiruude for us from this film is one of the most popular songs in Raj Gaana. In 1976, Mysore University honored Rajkumar with an honorary doctorate.

In the 1977 film Sanadi Appanna, Dr. Raj acted as a Shahnai player. Ustad Bismillah Khan, the famous Shahnai player of India, played the Shahnai instrument which was necessary for this film. Dr. Raj has performed the Shahnai of Bismillah Khan in the song "Called and Called" sung by S. Janaki in the music of GK Venkatesh.

The 1980s saw successful films like Sadabhiruchi's social films like Halujenu, Moving Clouds, New Light, Shravana Mantu, Anuraga Arhilutu, Shruti Sreitad. During this period, Dr. Raj acted in Kamanabillu with Ananth Nag and Apoorva Sangam with Shankar Nag.

One of the few films directed by Shankar Nag, Ektu Muthina Katha starred Dr. Raj. Dr. Raj, who was known for his yogasanas, has also seen the various yogasana poses on the silver screen through the film Kamanabillu.

Kaviratna Kalidasa, which came in 1983, is a film that has been influenced by Dr. Raj's artistic skills. In this film, Raj has given life to various roles as an uneducated shepherd, the epic poet Kalidasa and the evil Maharaja. Critics believe that the contribution of Dr. Raj Amogha's performance is important in making this film one of the most successful films of Kannada cinema.

Dr.Raj's 200th film was Devata Manshin which opened in 1988. Sudharani, one of the renowned actresses of Kannada cinema, played the role of Dr. Raj's daughter in this film. Dr. Raj, who acted as the brother of another popular Kannada actor, Ambareesh, had a penchant for films of social concern.

Dr. Rajkumar acted with almost all the popular heroines of that time. M.V. Rajamma, Advani Lakshmidevi, Pandaribai, Pratimadevi, Harini, Sahukar Janaki, Krishnakumari, Rajasulochana, B. Sarojadevi, Sandhya, Mainavati, Leelavati, Jayanti, Bharati, Kalpana, Vandana, Kanchana, Chandrakala, Udayachandrika, B.V. Acted with Radha, Shailasree, Rajsree, Vanishree, GV Latha, Aarti, Manjula, Lakshmi, Rekha, Jayamala, Jayaprada, Jayachitra, Gayatri, Sarita, Madhavi, Geeta, Ambika, Rupadevi, Urvashi etc. Raj-Bharathi, Raj- Leelavati, Raj-Jayanti pair was the most popular pair of that time.