Years after his death, Rajkumar becomes a subject for many PhD theses

In the decade and a half since his death in 2006, Dr Rajkumar has become a subject of intensive academic study. His birth anniversary falls on April 24.

The legendary Kannada actor, who studied only till Class 3, is at the centre of several doctoral theses. Karnatak University, Dharwad, University of Mysore, Mangalore University, Tumkur University, Bangalore University and the Central University of Karnataka, Kalaburagi, have awarded PhD degrees for research on the actor and his movies.

The researchers are from various disciplines: language, literature and folklore studies.

Currently, one scholar at the Mangaluru University, two at Tumakuru University and one at the Central University are writing papers on the thespian. A thesis has been submitted for award in Gulbarga University. Many dissertations are written on him at the undergraduate level.

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According to writer and academician Basavaraj Donur, Rajkumar is now a significant part of film studies in universities. Donur, registrar, CUK, had organised a two-day national seminar on Rajkumar in 2015. The varsity held a 30-day screening of his movies. It is the only Central University to have screened films of one actor continuously for a month as part of its academic requirements. Students from 25 states, despite their unfamiliarity with the language, appreciated the movies, he says.

“Researchers analyse his movies to explain how a popular actor can construct the identity of a language and a state," he observes. There is ample scope to produce about 200 PhD theses on his films, Donur reckons.

Dr V Girija of Goodwill Girls High Composite Junior College, Fraser Town, Bengaluru, says academics began dissecting the Rajkumar image from 2004. She is the first woman to write a PhD thesis on him for the Kannada University in Hampi. The degree was awarded in 2018.

"Just a few years ago, Dr Rajkumar was seen as a great entertainer. He is now generating academic interest. Academics believe his films can reform society,” she says.

Bhagyashri M Viraktamath, researching on Rajkumar and the Kannada identity at the Central University of Karnataka, says researchers face a daunting task in understanding how he shaped an identity as he did not write lyrics, scripts, stories and dialogues. They were written for him and on him. This makes them examine how an actor inspired others to construct the Kannada identity.

Donur regrets the lack of in-depth literary works on Rajkumar. Echoing his views, Bhagyashri says, "There are about 75 books on Rajkumar, including three in English. They lack quality. This stresses the need for an extensive quality work on him."

In a career spanning nearly 60 years, Rajkumar starred in 206 films, almost all of them blockbuster hits.