Singanalluru Puttaswamaiah Muthuraj, better known by his stage name Dr. Rajkumar, was an Indian actor and singer who worked in Kannada cinema. Regarded as one of the greatest actors in the history of Indian cinema and a versatile actor, he is considered a cultural icon and holds a matinée idol status in the Kannada diaspora, among whom he is popularly called as Nata Saarvabhouma, Bangarada Manushya, Vara Nata, Gaana Gandharva, Rasikara Raja, Kannada Kanteerava and Rajanna/Annavru. He was honoured with Padma Bhushan in 1983 and Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1995. He is the only lead actor to win National Award for singing. His 35 movies have been remade 58 times in 9 languages by 34 actors making him the first actor whose movies were remade more than fifty times and the first actor whose movies were remade in nine languages. He was the first actor in India to enact a role which was based on James Bond in a full-fledged manner. The success of his movie Jedara Bale is credited to have widely inspired a Desi bond genre in other Indian film industries. On the occasion of the "Centenary of Indian Cinema" in April 2013, Forbes included his performance in Bangaarada Manushya on its list of "25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema". Upon his death, The New York Times had described him as one of India's most popular movie stars.
Talukina Ramaswamayya Subba Rao (1920–1984), popularly known as TaRaSu, was an Indian novelist and a scholar in the Kannada-language. He is considered as a harbinger of the Navya movement of Kannada literature. He is well known for his novels like Durgashtamana, which won him the Sahitya Akademi award posthumously in 1985.
Singanalluru Puttaswamaiah Muthuraj, better known by his stage name Dr. Rajkumar, was an Indian actor, singer and producer who worked in Kannada cinema. Through his over five-decade long career of over 200 films, he was regarded one of the most pivotal and influential figures of the Kannada film industry. His films were praised for acting as a bridge between the popular and art films because of the theme of the story and their treatment. He debuted as a child actor in the 1942 Kannada film Bhakta Prahlada. His first role as an adult came in Sri Srinivasa Kalyana (1952) and as a lead, two years later, in Bedara Kannappa, which gave him stardom. He debuted as a singer with the track Om Namaha Shivaya from the 1956 film Ohileshwara. In 1960, he made his debut as a producer by producing Ranadheera Kanteerava. According to Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen in the book Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema, Ranadheera Kanteerava was the first "big hit" in Kannada cinema. In a film career spanning fifty years, Rajkumar received eleven Karnataka State Film Awards, including nine Best Actor and two Best Singer awards, eight Filmfare Awards South, and one National Film Award. Along with Vishnuvardhan and Ambareesh, he is counted in Kannada cinema's "triumvirate" as its most celebrated actor.
Aakasmika (transl. Unexpected) is a 1993 Indian Kannada language action thriller film directed by T. S. Nagabharana. The film stars Rajkumar, Geetha and Madhavi. The film was based on Ta Ra Su's trilogy Aakasmika – Aparadhi – Parinama thereby becoming the second Kannada movie to be based on three novels, the first being 1973 movie Naagarahaavu which incidentally was based on three novels of the same writer.
Upendra Kumar was an Indian composer who predominantly worked in Kannada and Odia films. He was known for his strong association with Rajkumar and his family and scored some of his career best compositions for the films featuring Rajkumar and his sons. He had scored for 210 films including Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Tulu films.
Dorai–Bhagavan were an Indian filmmaking duo consisting of directors B. Dorai Raj and S. K. Bhagavan, active mainly in Kannada cinema. The duo directed twenty seven films together, most of which starred Rajkumar and were highly successful at box-office. Fourteen of them were based on Kannada novels. Bhagavan was the principal of Adarsha Film Institute, Bangalore.
Bangarada Hoovu is a 1967 Indian Kannada language film directed, written and produced by B. A. Arasu Kumar. The film stars Rajkumar, Kalpana, Udaykumar and Shylashri. The film won many laurels upon release including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada. The movie was an adaptation of the play Abhaagini written by the director himself. The movie speaks about the misconceptions regarding leprosy - especially against the superstition that leprosy is a consequence of one's past sins.
Chandavalliya Thota is a 1964 Indian Kannada language film, directed by T. V. Singh Thakur. It stars Rajkumar, Udaykumar and Jayanthi. Film was release on 24 June 1964and ran for a hundred days at Prabhat Cinema in Bangalore. The film won many laurels upon release including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada for its Gandhian theme treatment of the poverty in rural Indian villages. The movie is based on the novel of same name by Ta.Ra.Su. This movie was the debut movie of singer K. J. Yesudas in Kannada.
Devatha Manushya is a 1988 Indian Kannada-language film, directed by Singeetham Srinivasa Rao. The film stars Rajkumar, Geetha, K. S. Ashwath and Sudharani. The movie is famous for its evergreen songs, which were composed by Upendra Kumar.
Dhruva Thare is a 1985 Indian Kannada-language film directed by M. S. Rajashekar. The film stars Rajkumar, Geetha and Deepa. The movie is famous for its songs composed by Upendra Kumar. It is based on the novel Aparanji written by Vijay Sasanur.
Shruthi Seridaaga is a 1987 Indian Kannada-language film directed by Chi Dattaraj. The film was produced by Raghavendra Rajkumar. The film starred Rajkumar, Madhavi and Geetha. The music for the film was scored by T. G. Lingappa and the cinematography was by V. K. Kannan. The movie is based on the novel Paluku Paluku Olavu by Kumuda. Director Singeetam Srinivasa Rao co-wrote the screenplay even though he didn't direct this movie.
Eradu Kanasu is a 1974 Indian Kannada-language romantic drama film directed by the duo Dorai–Bhagavan, and is based on the novel of the same name by Vani. The film stars Rajkumar, Kalpana and Manjula.
Giri Kanye is a 1977 Indian Kannada-language drama film directed by the Dorai–Bhagavan duo. It is based on the novel Girikannika by Bharathisutha. The film stars Rajkumar, Jayamala and Vajramuni. The film was a musical blockbuster with all the songs composed by Rajan–Nagendra considered evergreen hits. The movie saw a theatrical run of 25 weeks. Rajinikanth was initially selected to play the villain's role which was eventually played by Vajramuni.
Sipayi Ramu is 1972 Indian Kannada language film directed by Y. R. Swamy, based on the novel Barale Innu Yamune? by Nuggehalli Pankaja. It stars Rajkumar, Leelavathi and Aarathi. The supporting cast includes K. S. Ashwath, Shivaram, Vajramuni and Thoogudeepa Srinivas. At the 1971-72 Karnataka State Film Awards, the film was awarded the Third Best Film and Best Actress (Leelavathi).
Kaamana Billu (transl. Rainbow) is a 1983 Indian Kannada language film directed by Chi. Dattaraj. It stars Rajkumar, Anant Nag and Saritha. The film is based on the novel Mrigathrushna by Ashwini. This climax of the movie inspired a similar sequence in the 1999 Hindi movie Mann and its Telugu remake Ravoyi Chandamama.
Sanaadi Appanna is a 1977 Indian Kannada-language musical film directed by Vijay based on the novel Kuniyitu Hejje Naliyithu Gejje by Krishnamoorthy Puranik which was loosely based on the life of Bagalkote shehnai player Appanna (1876-1945). It starred Rajkumar in title role with Jaya Prada in the lead role along with Ashok, Balakrishna, R. Sampath, Thoogudeepa Srinivas, Papamma and Baby Madhavi in supporting roles. Puneeth Rajkumar made a brief appearance in one of the songs of this film.
Odahuttidavaru (transl. Siblings) is a 1994 Indian Kannada-language romantic drama film directed by Dorai–Bhagavan and was jointly written by S. K Bhagavan and Chi. Udaya Shankar. The film stars veteran actors Rajkumar and Ambareesh in lead roles, along with Madhavi, Srishanti, Vajramuni and K. S. Ashwath in supporting roles. The film revolves around the two farmer brothers who undergo many traumas in their relationships due to the external forces and fight them to reunite again.
Shankar Guru is a 1978 Indian Kannada-language action thriller film directed by V. Somashekhar, written by Chi. Udayashankar and produced by Parvathamma Rajkumar under the banner of Dakshayini Combines. It stars Rajkumar in the lead role alongside Jayamala, Padmapriya, Kanchana, Balakrishna, Vajramuni, Thoogudeepa Srinivas and Uma Shivakumar in supporting roles. Rajkumar appears in a triple role in the film — as a father and his two sons separated in childhood.
Saptapadi is a 1992 Indian Kannada-language romantic drama film directed by H. R. Bhargava and based on the novel of the same name by Saisuthe The film stars Ambareesh, Rupini, Sudharani and Anjali Sudhakar. The film, produced by S. A. Srinivas, was widely appreciated for its songs tuned by Upendra Kumar and lead actors performances upon release.
Sandhya Raga is a 1966 Indian Kannada-language film, directed by A. C. Narasimha Murthy and co-produced by him along with A. Prabhakara Rao. The film stars Rajkumar, Udaykumar, Narasimharaju and K. S. Ashwath. The film has musical score by G. K. Venkatesh.
