Following the death of Rajesh aka Jungle Jackie, a series of questions crop up. Was he a victim of circumstances or too cagey to adapt into the new world of cinema?
Till 2010, the year he won Rs 10 lakh after emerging winner in ‘Halli Hyda Pyateg Banda’, a reality show aired on a private satellite Kannada channel, Rajesh was an ordinary boy brought up in a tribal hamlet. He was an amorphous youth, who barely knew the world outside the woods in Balle hamlet, H D Kote taluk, Mysore district.
The grimy house in the hamlet got a television set and also a power generator. Rajesh bought himself a Pulsar motorbike, while many of his peers cannot even think of affording a bicycle. Then came the call from the Sandalwood, which Rajesh couldn’t ignore. Rajesh had been selected to play the lead role, close to his real life in the flick titled ‘Jungle Jackie’. Aishwarya, his reality show partner, was the female lead in the movie. Meanwhile, Rajesh married Kavya of Kodagu.
Like every mortal who expects something after every turning point, Rajesh anticipated that his newfound career will bring him fame and lucre. But all went awry.
Sources close to him said, Rajesh was upset after the delay in the release of his debut film and unleashed all his anger on his wife. The severity was such that, Kavya, his wife, returned to her parents.
Rajesh slipped into depression and was admitted to Vivekananda Hospital at Sargur in H D Kote taluk. He was later shifted to the psychiatry wing in K R Hospital, Mysore. After his discharge from K R Hospital, he spent sometime with his relatives at Periyapatna.
He returned to Mysore and rented a house at Parasaiahanahundi, near Srirampura. Though the film was released, it didn’t fare well at the box office, another reason that took a toll on his psyche. He had another movie on hand ‘Love in Poison’, the shooting of which is underway.
Rajesh’s yearning for fame was such that, whenever he met his friend Sudhakar, during the morning stroll, he had to say one thing: “Saadhane maadabeku geleya. Kaadina janarallu prathibhe ide antha thorisbeku (We have to achieve friend. The world should know that even people from the forest have talent in them)”.
Sudhakar, who works at KSOU, befriended Rajesh a few months ago. Similarly, Somu, who owns a tea shop near his house recalls Rajesh’s common dialogue: “Grand aagi cutout haaku. ‘Love in Poison’ release aguththe... (Erect a lofty cutout (of Rajesh), ‘Love in Poison’ will release soon)”.
A senior citizen in the neighbourhood said, though he had made the city his home, he remained a boy in the forest. Had he remained there, away from celluloid attraction, he would have been alive.
Financial issue
Embattled Rajesh seemed to be bogged down by financial constraints of late. What was constantly worrying him was the cheque for Rs 5 lakh given by the producer of his debut movie, that had bounced.
Rajesh’s mother Lakshmi said, the cheque is in the house. Rajesh was confident of getting the payment one or the other day. Recently, he had even gone to the bank in H D Kote town, where he had some money (left) in his account.