Google honoured late Kannada actor and singer Rajkumar with a special doodle on his 89th birth anniversary on Monday.
The doodle depicts audience watching the legendary actor on a movie screen.
In a career spanning more than 50 years, the veteran acted in 200 movies, starting with Bedara Kannapa in 1954. Shabdavedhi, released in 2000, was his last film.
According to the Google Doodle team’s brief, there were several drafts of the sketch before they zeroed in on this one. “Early drafts of today’s Doodle featured different interpretations of the beloved star’s work. The first illustrates Rajkumar singing and holding the white bird from Kasturi Nivasa, a quintessential Kannada drama and a cornerstone of Rajkumar’s cinematic legacy. Another Doodle draft showcases an array of iconic characters Rajkumar played over a half century of acting”, it stated.
The actor, who began his acting career with the illustrious Gubbi Veeranna in the Gubbi Drama Company, went on to win a host of awards, including two national awards, the coveted Dadasaheb Phalke Award for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema in 1995 and was honoured with Padma Bhushan in 1983.
Born on 24 April, 1929, as Singanalluru Puttaswamaiah Mutthuraju at Gajanur, Rajkumar (his screen name) is fondly remembered as 'Annavru' (elder brother), as he earned the titles of 'Nata Saarvabhouma' (emperor of actors), 'Bangarada Manushya' (man of gold), 'Vara Nata' (gifted actor) and 'Rajanna' ,given to him by his fans.
Known for his highly disciplined life, he practised yoga, pranayama and Carnation music. The actor is considered a role model as he had shunned smoking, drinking and use of abusive language both on and off the screen. He remained apolitical and rejected offers from political parties, and abstained from acting in non-Kannada films for his love and commitment to Kannada language and culture.
Rajkumar became the force behind the Gokak movement and led a rally from Belagavi to Bengaluru, giving speeches on the importance of Kannada. Millions of people gathered to get a glimpse of the superstar and listen to him. The movement became such a rage that the government relented and made Kannada a compulsory medium for education.
The reverence for the veteran actor was such that Karnataka came to a standstill when he was abducted by brigand Veerappan in 2000, who tried to arm-twist the Karnataka government, to secure the release of his men. Rajkumar was released after 108 days, amid a big political turmoil and unrest.
He passed away at the age of 77 in April 2006, following a cardiac arrest at his Bengaluru home. However, he still remains an iconic superstar from his time. His sons Shivarajkumar and Puneet are leading heroes in Kannada cinema.
