Kannada actor Rajkumar dies of heart attack

BANGALORE: Thespian Rajkumar, who strode the Kannada film world like a colossus casting a spell on millions of his fans for nearly five decades, died here on Wednesday.

The 78-year-old veteran actor of nearly 200 films, a living legend for his fans who revered him as a demi-god, "swooned" around 1350 hours and became unconscious at home.

He was immediately rushed to M S Ramaiah Hospital where he was declared brought dead.

"Rajkumar died of a cardiac arrest. We tried to revive him but could not succeed. We did everything," Dr Ramana Rao, the actor's personal physician said. His family members were with him when he breathed his last.

The actor, known for portraying versatile roles, had been keeping indifferent health for the last few years after his abduction by the late notorious sandalwood smuggler Veerappan in the forests of Satyamangalam six years ago.

As the news of his death spread, hundreds of his grief-stricken fans rushed to his residence at the posh Sadashivanagar, where his body was brought from the hospital.

Rajkumar was hospitalised just one-and-a-half months ago after he complained of chest pain and for treatment of bronchial allergy and lung infection and was discharged after he recovered.

In January also, he underwent treatment for "neurological problems".

Rajkumar is survived by wife Parvathamma, three actor sons Shivarajkumar, Raghavendra Rajkumar and Puneeth Rajkumar and two daughters.

Rajkumar, Ramana Rao said, sat on a sofa around 1350 hrs and asked his family members to slow down the fan and soon thereafter collapsed. Within two or three minutes, Rao said, he rushed to the actor's residence and administered external cardiac massage and mouth-to-mouth resucitation.

Rajkumar was then shifted to the hospital where intracardiac injections were administered and efforts made to revive him but the efforts failed, Rao said, adding he was declared dead at 1405 hours.

Always conscious of his fitness, Rajkumar even had a 20-minute walk this morning and a check-up also around 1130 hrs with him, Rao said.

Essaying his roles with elan in his nearly five-decade long career that began with the mythological film "Bedara Kannappa", Rajkumar was a recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke and Padma Bhushan awards and 'Karnataka Ratna', the state's highest civilian honour, besides 10 Filmfare awards.

Police had a tough time as hundreds of fans gathered outside the residence of Rajkumar to have the last glimpse of their 'Annavaru' (elder brother). His demise sent the Kannada film world into a state of shock.

The funeral would take place at Rajkumar's farm house on Mysore road tomorrow, as the family members awaited the arrival of Shivarajkumar, who is away in Hampi in Bellary district for a film shooting, family sources said.

It was an "undeclared bandh" in many parts of Bangalore as a mark of respect to the veteran actor, as shops and commercial establishments downed shutters. Only few vehicles were seen plying.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, state ministers and film personalities visited Rajkumar's residence where his body lay in state.