Rajkumar’s ‘Bedara Kannappa’ Kannada Movie- 7th May 1954 : A Red-letter day in Kannada Film Industry

By Ramarao Manjunath Chavan

Bengaluru,06 May(HS): Post Independence 1947, the Indian subcontinent was a bee hive of activities. India was a nation on the move. Geographical boundaries defining the states on the language was the state of affairs.  Indian Cinema had begun to take wings mainly at Bombay and then Madras. While the former catered to most of North Indian Cinema the latter was the home for the South Indian language film fraternity.

Telugu, Tamil,  Kannada films had strong Commercial potential. By the first half of the 1950s, While the Tamil industry was basking on the Star values of MGR(MG Ramachandran), Shivaji Ganeshan, Telugu films were dominated by NTRamarao and the likes. Amidst the glamour of the Pan Southern India film industry, the Kannada film industry was in its nascent stage. One could easily count the number of films produced in the Kannada language.

One date, That is,  7th  May 1954  sowed the seed of the much-desired change, an impetus to the languishing Kannada Film Industry. It was a date with History. It was the day When Singanallur Puttaswamaih Muthuraju, SP Muthuraju,  from Gajanur of ChamarajaNagar District, Mysore State, was introduced as  ” Rajkumar”  in his maiden film ”  Bedara Kannappa ” by AV Meiyappan of AVM Productions. Little did AVM studios and the team knew that this young man would grow to be colossal of not only the Kannada Film  Industry but also as the Cultural Ambassador as well as  The pride of the Kannada Language.

The movie”  Bedara Kannappa’  was a block buster, sent the box office to tizzy heights, won National Awards too. More importantly, a bunch of extremely talented stage artists like TN Balakrishna, Narasimha Raju, and GV Iyer were introduced to Kannada film lovers.

Rajkumar, beyond doubt, was the find of the year but the actual purpose of his film career was unearthed at the screening of his second movie in 1956 at Shivaji Theatre JC Road Bangalore.

Few people in the audience learned that Rajkumar was amidst them watching the movie. He was forced to go on stage and say few words about his professional experiences.

” I am a humble son of  Karnataka.  I have chosen Kannada cinema as my profession and I will dedicate my entire life to act only in Kannada Films. I would go any extent to protect the identity of Kannada and the rich legacy of Our Language ” he had proclaimed impromptu. He was just one film old in the industry but Rajkumar had his priorities right.

As the slowdown of the second world war began to ebb down, the Cinema industry began to pick up the pace. Films featuring Rajkumar in Devotional genre like Haribhakta, Ohileshwara , Bhakta Kanakadasa  , Santa Tukaram , Satya Harishchandra ,  Historicals like,  Ranadheera Kanteerava ,Immadi Pulakeshi  , Devotionals like  Mantralaya Mahatme,  Mahatma Kabir and host of films  blazed the silver screen .

Each movie was a phenomenal success by any standards. Phenomenal movies they were but had great morals in the stories. The essaying of each of the characters by Rajkumar was flawless.  The number of Kannada films that were produced began to grow by the late 1960s. It’s a matter of great significance Rajkumar had starred in 17 films as a hero in the year 1968.

He was a bankable star and movies featuring him certainly were a money-spinner.  Bhagyada Baagilu featuring Rajkumar was a milestone no one had reached in Kannada Film Industry. It was his 100th Movie. With a cult following Rajkumar had crossed over his film persona with the movie”  Bangarada Manushya in 1972 “.

The movie had a 100 week run at States Theatre on Kempe Gowda Road Bangalore. KG Road the citadel of Hindi films of popular stars like  Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachan,  Kapoors, and the rest of them could never compete with the phenomenal run of Bangarada Manushya.  It was a huge statement of sorts to the massive following of Rajkumar that, Legendary actors like Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar,  Sanjeev Kumar, Vinod Mehra, NT Ramarao, MG Ramachandran took special interest to watch the movie.

It was a history of sorts to witness young urban graduates flocking back home to villages to take up Farming and Agriculture. Bangarada Manushya was an amazing catalyst for an Exodus.  It was an exodus and a welcome change.

For the records “Gandhada Gudi ” starring  Rajkumar and Vishnuvardhan for the first time is yet another mile stone of the Thespian. Gandhada Gudi was the 150th Movie starring Rajkumar in the lead role.

It was the need of the hour that Rajkumar plunged into the activism of the Gokak Committee Report about the Kannada Language.  The movement got the right impetus and the desired impact on the implementation.  Rajkumar had grown to be the Face of Kannada, Kannada Pride, and Karnataka.  His firm ”  No”  to overtures of political parties even from the likes of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, made him out of ordinary.

A citation of Honorary Doctorate from Mysore University for immense contribution to society through his films was a validation of the cultural influence of the legendary actor. Yaare Koogadali song catapulted him to be a popular singer. It’s a matter of great importance that in the annals of the Indian Film Industry he is the only film personality to have won National Award for Best Actor and Best Singer categories.

The success of the tinsel world never went to his head. He had his head firmly on his shoulders. He had trodden the spiritual path of Hata Yoga through the SiddhaRoodha Lineage from Hubballi.

A Sadhaka Of supreme order he had mastered the art of Kundalini Awakening under the guidance of Honnappa Fakeerappa Naikar. Thus, equanimity was a  natural trait of Dr. Rajkumar.

In the first half of the 1980s, Kannada film production Shifting lock stock and barrel to Karnataka, Kannada film production attaining Industry status, Kannada Music Industry growing beyond Film Music genre, Rajkumar was The captain of the industry.

Silencing his critics by phenomenal movies Trimurti,  ShankarGuru, and RaviChandra,  under the banner M/ s Vajreswari Combine s created a new address at Gandhinagar, the citadel of Sandalwood at Bangalore.

” Our actions should speak for ourselves ” he had quipped and collaborated with his wife Parvathamma Rajkumar. Rest as they say is History.

” Devatha Manushya ” featuring him in the lead role in the year 1988, was yet another mile stone. It was the 200th Film in the tireless journey of a legend. He had reached no man’s land by sheer hard work, dedication, and unflinching support for Kannada, Karnataka, and Kannadiga.

Accolades,  awards, International recognition were accorded to him during the illustrious career. Dr. Rajkumar, the darling of millions of Kannadigas and cine lovers breathed his last on 12th  April  2006 at Bengaluru.

It’s an irony of sorts that In his reel life Bedara Kannappa donates eyes to Lord Shiva, in Real life SInaganallur Puttaswamaih Muthurju aka Dr. Rajkumar donated his eyes too. Beyond doubt, the patriarch had discovered the  Purpose of his Life.

Certainty  Singanallur Puttaswamaih Muthuraju aka  Rajkumar is destiny’s child.