Kannada film artists said that they aim to elevate Kannada cinema and culture to a global level, with Dr. Rajkumar as the leading face.
Kannada film artists and government officials gathered to celebrate the 96th birth anniversary of Dr. Rajkumar.
P. Seshadri, national award winner and Kannada film maker, said that Dr. Rajkumar has an unmatched diversity among his peers in other regional cinema. He suggested that the state government should establish a museum to honour Dr. Rajkumar’s legacy. His career spanned over four decades, and he single handedly brought the Kannada film industry to the forefront, thanks to his portrayal of versatile leads in over 200 films.
Srinivasa Murthy, a Kannada artist and screen writer, who worked with Dr. Rajkumar on several projects, said, “Dr. Rajkumar’s versatility surpasses that of renowned actors from different regional cinemas, such as M.G. Ramachandran and Shivaji Ganeshan from Tamil industry, Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan from Hindi cinema, or Mammootty from Malayalam cinema.”
Murthy remarked that Dr. Rajkumar’s range of versatile lead roles is unparalleled. He also suggested that Dr. Rajkumar, who has already received the Dada Saheb Phalke award, deserved the Bharat Ratna.
Raghavendra Rajkumar, actor, singer, and producer in Kannada cinema, and the son of Dr. Rajkumar spoke briefly of his father’s life, and praised his father’s generosity towards junior artists and workers,
K.V. Trilok Chandra, Secretary to Chief Minister , said that Rajkumar’s fame extends beyond the Kannada film industry. He said, “People across India recognize him and appreciate his work. Especially in the South Indian film industries, his stature is that to Sivaji Ganesan. Dr. Rajkumar’s work is an inspiration for the growing global movement of Kannada cinema.”
Chandra cited Dr. Rajkumar’s work as an inspiration for the growing global movement of Kannada cinema.
Kambada Rangaiah , Sa Re Ga Ma Pa famed singer, along with his group, performed songs from iconic Rajkumar movies like Kaviratna Kalidasa.
Other distinguished personalities like Kannada novelist and film writer Baraguru Ramachandrappa and senior Kannada writer Govindaraju also attended the event.
The event was jointly organized by Dr. Rajkumar Prathisthana and the Department of Information and Public Relation , to celebrate the 96th birth anniversary of Dr.Rajkumar.
