Kannada cinema’s reigning star and celebrity television host Puneeth Rajkumar, known for films such as “Appu”, “Veera Kannadiga” and “Maurya”, died here on Friday following a massive heart attack, the hospital said.
He was 46. Puneeth, who was known to be a fitness enthusiast, was rushed to Vikram Hospital after he complained of chest pain following a two-hour workout in the gym, doctors treating him said. He died shortly after.
Puneeth’s body will be kept at the Kanteerava Stadium to enable the public to pay their last respects, state minister R Ashoka told reporters. He said Puneeth’s last rites will be performed with full state honours and the family will decide when it will happen.
According to the hospital, the actor was brought to the hospital with a family doctor diagnosing that he had had a heart attack. “At the time of arrival to the emergency, the patient was non-responsive and was in cardiac asystole. Hence, immediate advanced cardiac life support measures were initiated for resuscitation…”
Condolences at the death of the actor, who began his career as a child artist appearing in movies such as “Thayige Thakka Maga” and “Bhagyavantha”, poured in from political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, colleagues in the southern film industry as well as those in Bollywood — their messages echoing his legions of fans grieving the hero who had gone too soon.
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