Puneeth Rajkumar laid to rest: Sudeep pays tribute to 'Appu' with a heartfelt note

Sudeep thanked the government for giving Puneeth a 'deserving send off'

Kannada star Puneeth Rajkumar, who passed away on Friday (October 29) due to cardiac arrest, was laid to rest at the Kanteerava Studio in Bengaluru in the presence of family members and political bigwigs. Actor Sudeep, who shared a strong rapport with 'Appu', remembered his friend and thanked the government for giving the A-lister a 'deserving send off'. The Eega villain added that Puneeth lived life and left the world as royally as possible.. He concluded his note by saying that Kannada cinema's 'Powerstar' now belonged to the sky and would always shine brighter than other stars.

Puneeth, Kannada thespian Rajkumar's youngest child, began his career as a child artist before making his 'official debut with the 2002 release Appu. He consolidated his standing in the industry with movies such as Veera Kannadiga, Power, Abhi and Hudugaru. His other popular films include Raaj The Showman, Vamshi, Arasu and Ajay. The star was last seen in Yuvarathnaa, which established him as the choice of the family audience. The film received rave reviews but failed to make an impact at the box office due to Covid-19 restrictions. It premiered digitally days after its release, getting wide patronage.

Also Read | Remembering Puneeth Rajkumar: 5 movies that prove he was a terrific performer

He had wrapped up major portions of James before his death. He was to begin work on his film with Pavan Kumar. The star was also set to collaborate with Santosh Ananddram for a new movie.

Sudeep, meanwhile, is going through a busy phase on the work front. He was last seen in Kotigobba 3, which opened to a good response at the box office. The film, the third installment of the Kotigobba franchise, catered to the mass audience and proved to be a treat for 'Deepanna' fans. He is awaiting the release of Vikrant Rona, which features him in a new avatar. It has been directed by Anup Bhandari and marks his first collaboration with the mass hero.