After his debut in ‘Appu’ in 2002, Puneeth Rajkumar went on to become one of the biggest superstars of Kannada cinema. He has many blockbusters in his filmography. October 29 marks the first death anniversary of the actor, who passed away following a cardiac arrest at the age of 46.
Metrolife brings a selection of five of his hit films.
Milana (2007)
In this moving relationship drama, Puneeth plays Akash, a radio jockey, whose marriage is off to a bumpy start. Akash’s wife Anjali (Parvathi Thiruvothu) demands a divorce from him as she is in love with another man. The hit song ‘Ninnindale’ and the charming chemistry between Puneeth and Parvathi are some highlights. Puneeth excels in emotional scenes. On Zee5
Prithvi (2010)
Even though his fans loved him for ‘massy’ roles, Puneeth often experimented with his on-screen image. ‘Prithvi’ is one such movie, directed by Jacob Varghese. He plays an IAS officer with great conviction in this social thriller about illegal mining. He reunites with his ‘Milana’ co-star Parvathi and they deliver well. On Jiocinema
Jackie (2010)
Not many stars can play a common man with ease as Puneeth did in ‘Jackie’. In a road thriller, Puneeth exhibits his strength in action and dance sequences. His high-energy performance, which demands him to be a motormouth, is the backbone of a film that has great comedy from Rangayana Raghu and chartbusters from V Harikrishna. On SunNxt
Paramathma (2011)
Puneeth’s witty dialogue delivery and intense performance in emotional scenes didn’t excite people much when the film hit the screens but today, ‘Paramathma’ is celebrated as a classic. The melodious album from Harikrishna is a big plus and the film, directed by Yogaraj Bhat, is a comfort watch for fans of rom-com.
On Disney+ Hotstar
Raajakumara (2017)
This movie drew Kannadigas across the globe to theatres and went on to become one of Kannada cinema’s biggest hits. The song ‘Bombe helutaithe’ turned iconic after the actor’s death. Puneeth, as a selfless man caring for elders, is perfect in this emotional family drama. On Amazon Prime Video