Narendra Modi joins in mourning for much-loved star of southern Indian cinema
Associated Press in New Delhi
Sat 30 Oct 2021 05.48 EDT
Puneeth Rajkumar, a leading star of southern Indian regional cinema, has died after a heart attack. He was 46.
Rajkumar had performed lead roles in 29 movies and also appeared on television, where he was the host of a Kannada-language version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
He was taken to Vikram hospital in Bengaluru, the capital of southern Karnataka state, after complaining of chest pain, the hospital said.
Dr Ranganath Nayak, a cardiologist at the hospital, said in a statement that Rajkumar was unresponsive and his heart had stopped when he arrived.
The Press Trust of India news agency said Rajkumar had begun having chest pains after working out for two hours at a gym.
Fans rushed to the hospital as news of his heart attack spread in the city. The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, joined in mourning Rajkumar’s death, saying that future generations would remember him fondly for his work and wonderful personality.
He was the son of Dr Rajkumar, the biggest film star in southern India, but carved a career for himself. After acting as a child in several films, he debuted as a lead actor in the 2002 Kannada-language movie Appu. He followed that with other successful films including Abhi, Veera Kannadiga, Maurya, Ajay and Arasu.
He is survived by his wife, Ashwini Revanth, and two daughters.
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