Throwback: Shivarajkumar ‘hated’ acting in his formative years

The much-loved Shivarajkumar is arguably one of the most popular and respected stars in Kannada cinema. The mass hero enjoys a dedicated fan following due to his gripping screen presence, humble nature and impressive selection of roles. He has starred in quite a few ‘industry hits’ and proved his mettle. While almost everyone is aware of his contribution to Sandalwood, not many know that the Om actor was initially not interested in acting.

A few years ago, his brother and noted producer Raghavendra Rajkumar had told DNA that ‘Shivanna’ would run away from the sets while shooting for Dr Rajkumar’s Sri Srinivasa Kalyana (1974) as he ‘hated’ facing the camera.

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“Not many people might notice, but if Shivanna is there in one scene, he is not there in the next scene. He would just throw his bags and run away,” he had added.

SRK eventually developed an interest in acting and the rest is history. He made his big-screen debut with Anand (1986), which emerged as a big hit in Karnataka. He consolidated his standing with the well-received Ratha Sapthami and Manamecchida Hudugi. Some of his other notable films include Om, Jogi, AK 47 and the Om Prakash Rao-directed Shiva.

Shivarajkumar is still an inseparable for Kannada cinema even though most of his recent films have not done too well at the box office. The ‘Hattrick Hero’ was last seen in Drona, which sank without a trace, According to an industry tracker, it failed to make an impact as it was not promoted properly. Shivanna will soon be resuming work on the eagerly-awaited Bhajarangi 2, directed by A Harsha. The film features him in a new avatar, which has piqued curiosity. Contrary to perception, it is not a sequel to the fantasy-drama Bhajarangi (2013).

Sandalwood’s resident ‘Mass Leader’ also has RDX and a movie with Narthan in his kitty.