On Friday, the entire state of Karnataka was dealt a blow, after reports emerged that young Kannada super star actor Puneeth Rajkumar had succumbed to a massive heart attack. Just 46 years old, the actor’s passing away was a setback to the industry.
In the past too, Kannada Film Industry has struggled due to the untimely deaths of some remarkable talents. Here are 10 of such actors who left us far too early at a very young age.
Shankar Nag
He left us at a time when he was at the peak of his career. His absence is still felt in the industry. His movies though will be remembered until the industry exists.
Sanchari Vijay
A promising actor, national award winning actor aged 35 years passed away in June 2021. He died in an accident leaving a numb feeling in the hearts of cinema lovers.
Soundarya
A talent that we can never forget, Soundarya passed away when she was just 31 years old. A talented dancer too, Soundarya was well known across the country. She died in an air crash on the outskirts of Bengaluru.
Chiranjeevi Sarja
At just 39, Chiranjeevi Sarja’s demise has left a massive void in the industry. Considered as a minimum-guarantee hero, Chiru had as many as 4 projects in hand before he left us.
Kalpana
Regarded as the most talented actress of KFI, Kalpana committed suicide at the age of 35. It is said that poor health and multiple debts drove her to take the decision.
Manjula
Although there are no clear details regarding the cause of death, Manjula’s passing away came as a shocker to the industry. She had quit the movie industry by then before featuring in multiple successful movies. She was 35 when she left us.
Sunil
The pioneer of ‘Chocolate Boy’ looks in Kannada, Sunil passed away in an unfortunate car accident on his way from Bagalkot to Bengaluru. Actress Malashri, who was also in the car, suffered multiple injuries from the accident.
Silk Smitha
Silk Smitha had featured in many Kannada movies, and unfortunately, she committed suicide at the age of 35. Reports suggest that her financial hurdles drove her to the tragic decision.
Anil
In one of the most tragic incidents in KFI, the industry lost two promising actors while on a film set. Anil had already acted in a few movies till then and was all set to become a popular actor in Kannada.
Uday
Uday was slowly establishing his niche in the industry when fate took him away abruptly. For an industry that is used to importing villains from other states, Uday had sparked a ray of hope in Sandalwood.
Dhruv Sharma
A talented cricketer and an actor, Dhruv Sharma is one of the young talents we lost very early. He was an inspiration to many people in the state, and it is unfortunate that he had to leave us so soon.
