Here's how Puneeth had reacted to Shivarajkumar's debut movie 'Anand'

There's no denying the fact that Puneeth Rajkumar is one of the most popular and sought-after stars in the Kannada film industry. An artiste par excellence, he enjoys a fairly strong fan following due to his impressive body of work and gripping screen presence. Some time ago, 'Appu' told Film Companion that he admires his brother/ Sandalwood hero Shivarajkumar a lot and feels that he has made Karnataka proud with his work.

The Anna Bond actor recalled that the entire Rajkumar family was stunned by Shivanna's dancing style in his debut movie Anand (1986). He added that the veteran has been a part of several classics that redefined the face of the Kannada film industry

“We were all mesmerised by his dance. I was about 11 years and was crazy about my brother's dance. He has had three films that ran for about 365 days. Then, he has also had a film like Om that is (to my knowledge) is one of the few films in India that has gone theatrical for about 20 years. He is an inspiration for me,” he said.

Also read: Shivarajkumar confirms he will be doing a film with Balakrishna in the near future

SRK, who has been a part of Sandalwood for over three decades, remains a force to be reckoned with even though most of his recent movies have not done too well at the box office. He was last seen in Drona, which sank without a trace at the ticket window. He will next be seen in the eagerly-awaited Bhajarangi 2, directed by A Harsha. The film features him in a new avatar that has piqued the curiosity. Contrary to perception, the film is not a sequel to the 2013 hit Bhajarangi that featured Shivanna and Aindrita Ray as the lead pair.

Coming back to Puneeth, he will next be seen in the eagerly-awaited Yuvarathnaa that features Kollywood actress Sayyeshaa as the heroine. He also has the Chethan Kumar-directed James in his kitty.