Fans of beloved Indian actor Raj Kumar (Rajkumar) rioted when police kept them post-mortem ransacking of his home.
Raj Kumar, a onetime child actor who became one of south India’s most beloved movie stars and later was kidnapped by a notorious bandit, died Wednesday at age 77. He died in a Bangalore hospital of cardiac arrest, Dr. Ramana Rao told the Press Trust of India news agency.
Kumar, whose name was also spelled Rajkumar, appeared in more than 200 Kannada-language films in five decades, with millions of fiercely devoted fans. While he largely gave up acting in the mid-1990s, he remained one of the region’s best-loved figures.
Hundreds of distraught fans rioted in Bangalore when police prevented them from forcing their way into the late actor’s home, New Delhi Television reported. Police used bamboo canes to drive away angry fans who shattered the windows of several buses and set a half-dozen cars and motorcycles on fire. The actor’s body was later moved to a large public park in the heart of the city to allow fans to pay their last respects. The regional government in southern India has decided to give Kumar a state funeral, according to Press Trust of India.
Kumar appeared in action films, mythological sagas and romance movies in which he was the star attraction. Although he played rugged, masculine heroes who triumphed over scheming villains in many of his movies, he also was known for never having smoked cigarettes on screen, or never playing a drunkard after his early days.
He was in the news again in 2000 when he was kidnapped by Veerappan, a famed bandit who had spent decades eluding police in the forests of south India. Kumar was freed by Veerappan after 109 days living in the forests with his gang. Local reports said a large ransom was paid, although Kumar denied that.
I am not familiar with Kumar’s work but suspect he would have counseled his fans not to ransack the homes of the recently deceased or, at very least, not to create mayhem when denied that experience.
Kalam condoles Rajkumar’s death (The Hindu)
President, A P J Abdul Kalam, has condoled the death of veteran actor Rajkumar and said the country has lost a versatile film actor. “In the passing away of Rajkumar we have lost a versatile film actor. His talent was recognised by his being awarded the Dada Saheb Phalke Award. He will always be remembered for his everlasting contributions to the film industry,” Kalam said in a condolence message to the late actor’s wife Parvathamma.
Grief-stricken Rajkumar fans go on a rampage (Sify)
Grief-stricken fans of thespian Rajkumar, who died on Wednesday, went on a rampage indulging in stone pelting and torched vehicles, forcing the police to use tear gas and canes to control the crowd Bangalore. Pouring out their anger over delay in arrival of the mortal remains of the matinee idol at the Kanteerava Stadium, thousands of people who had gathered to get a glimpse of their “annavaru” (elder brother) turned unruly, raised slogans and pelted stones. Police said they burst tear gas shells after lathicharge failed to bring the crowd under check, but there was no let up in the frenzied actions of the fans. Several persons, including policemen, were injured in the incidents, they said.
As the news of the demise of Rajkumar spread, stray incidents of violence were reported in various parts of the city with emotion choked fans targeting vehicles, business establishments and shops. Several vehicles, including some of police, bore the brunt of the crowd fury, which also resulted in traffic chaos following setting up of road blocks, a situation that forced the public transport, including autorickshaws, off the roads.
Fans of Rajkumar did not even spare the residence of their adored actor as they damaged the lawns and window panes in their attempt to gain entry to have a last glimpse of him. Even as the ambulance carrying the body of Rajkumar reached his Sadashivanagar residence, thousands of his fans had already gathered there and the police personnel were struggling to control the milling crowd which turned berserk.
A crowd attempted to set on fire a petrol pump, but timely intervention of police prevented a major fire mishap, police said. The crowds freely indulging in brickbat, torched several vehicles parked on roadsides and even Bangalore Metropolitan Road Transport Corporation buses were not spared.
Kannada thespian Dr.Rajkumar passes away (The Hindu)
Thespian Dr. Rajkumar, who strode the Kannada film world like a colossus casting a spell on millions of his fans for nearly five decades, died here today.
The 78-year-old veteran actor of nearly 200 films, a living legend for his fans who revered him as a demi-god, “swooned” around 1350 hours and became unconscious at home.
He was immediately rushed to M S Ramaiah Hospital where he was declared brought dead.
“Rajkumar died of a cardiac arrest. We tried to revive him but could not succeed. We did everything,” Dr Ramana Rao, the actor’s personal physician, told PTI. His family members were with him when he breathed his last.
The actor, known for portraying versatile roles, had been keeping indifferent health for the last few years after his abduction by the late notorious sandalwood smuggler Veerappan in the forests of Satyamangalam six years ago.
As the news of his death spread, hundreds of his grief-stricken fans rushed to his residence at the posh Sadashivanagar, where his body was brought from the hospital.
Rajkumar was hospitalised just one-and-a-half months ago after he complained of chest pain and for treatment of bronchial allergy and lung infection and was discharged after he recovered. In January also, he underwent treatment for “neurological problems”.
Rajkumar is survived by wife Parvathamma, three actor sons Shivarajkumar, Raghavendra Rajkumar and Puneeth Rajkumar and two daughters.
Rajkumar, Ramana Rao said, sat on a sofa around 1350 hours and asked his family members to slow down the fan and soon thereafter collapsed. Within two or three minutes, Rao said, he rushed to the actor’s residence and administered external cardiac massage and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Rajkumar was then shifted to the hospital where intracardiac injections were administered and efforts made to revive him but the efforts failed, Rao said, adding he was declared dead at 1405 hours.
Always conscious of his fitness, Rajkumar even had a 20-minute walk this morning and a check-up also around 1130 hours with him, Rao said.
Rajkumar wanted to return to acting (Press Trust of India)
Kannada megastar Rajkumar, who passed away on Wednesday, wanted to return to acting but his wish will remain unfulfilled.
After he was set free by forest bandit Veerappan, who held the actor hostage for 108 days in 2000, Rajkumar had promised his fans that he would soon act in the film ‘Bhakta Ambareesh.’ Rajkumar, a recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke award, was all set to play the lead role in the film but his health did not permit it.
His last film “Shabdavedi” hit the screen seven years ago and since then, Rajkumar, affectionately called “Annavaru” (elder brother) by everyone in the film industry, had been toying with the idea of returning to acting, but it was not to be.
Update (4/13): More commentary at OTB.
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