Actor Puneeth Rajkumar, in Bengaluru was buried this morning while Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai with several top south actors from Kannada film industry. CM Bommai bid a “final salute” to the actor ahead of last rites at the Sree Kanteerava Studios, Bengaluru.
“It was a personal bonding with the entire family and more so with ‘Appu’ (as late Rajkumar was fondly known). I had seen him as a boy. We had relations since those days. Therefore I am giving him a final salute. Certainly, I was emotional,” said Mr Bommai.
Several other actors from Karnataka film industry including Yash and Duniya Vijay Ravichandran attended the ceremony.
Visuals showed that a sea of his fans gathered around Sree Kanteerava Studios, where Some people climbed on terraces of surrounding buildings while others reached up to the trees around the studios to get a glimpse of their favourite actor.
Late actor was known as “Power Star” of Kannada cinema, he was actor Dr Rajkumar’s son. Late actor died at an early age of 46 on Friday, followed by a cardiac arrest.
The cremation was scheduled to perform on Saturday evening, but was delayed to today as the actor’s daughter (Druthi, flying in India from New York) was arriving late and to give some more time to his fans to pay their favourite actor the final respects.
Puneeth Rajkumar was known for the social commitment he used to make, also had donated eyes just like his father, as it was already pledged by him back in 1994 that his entire family will donate their eyes.