The veteran Kannada actor Bungle Shama Rao Dwarakanath, commonly known as Dwarakish, sadly passed away today, April 16. The multi-talented actor, producer, and director was 81 years old and died of a cardiac arrest. Dwarakish was a household name in Karnataka, mainly thanks to his
comedy roles.
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Dwarakish Death: Debut, Career, and Notable Contributions
Dwarakish was born in Mysore, Karnataka, in 1942. He made his debut in the Kannada film industry with a small role in the 1964 film 'Veera Sankalpa' and later appeared in multiple films. In 1966, Dwarakish co-produced 'Mamatheya Bandhana'. The artist had his first taste of success with the film 'Mayor Muthanna', which he produced. It went on to become a blockbuster and is still regarded as a classic to this day.
It's worth mentioning that Dwarakish is known for introducing the legendary Bollywood playback singer Kishore Kumar to the Kannada film industry. With Dwarakish's help, the singer recorded the Kannada language song called 'Aadu Aata Aadu'.
Dwarakish had a long and successful career, acting in more than 100 films and producing 50 movies under his production company, Dwarakish Chitra. He worked with top artists like Dr. Rajkumar and director Siddalingaiah to make some of the biggest hits of his time. He also directed about 19 films in his lifetime.
Also Read: Top 5 Contemporary Kannada Films of all TimeDwarakish and Dr. Vishnuvardhan are two of the most memorable names in the Kannada film industry. They made some legendary films together, including 'Kalla Kulla', 'Kittu Puttu, 'Apthamitra', 'Singaporenalli Raja Kulla', and 'Rayaru Bandaru Mavana Manege'. The late Kannada actor also launched Vinod Raj, the son of Kannada actress Leelavathi.
Artists pay their respects to the legendary Dwarakish
Superstar Rajnikanth posted on social media to remember the late artist's contributions to the Kannada film industry. He wrote, 'The demise of my longtime dear friend Dwarakesh is very painful to me..starting his career as a comedian, he raised himself up to being a big producer and director.. fond memories come to my mind..my heartfelt condolences to his family and dear ones.'
Indian veteran cricketer Anil Kumble wrote a post in memory of the late director. It said, 'Deeply saddened by the passing of veteran actor Dwarakish Sir - A doyen of Kannada film industry. Grew up watching his movies. His contribution to the film world will always be remembered.'
Karnataka's Chief Minister Siddaramaiah took to his X handle to pay his respects to Dwarakish. The CM's condolences can be translated as: Saddened to hear the news of the death of 'Prachanda Kulla' Dwarkeesh, who served the Kannada film industry for a long time as an actor, director, and producer. His demise is a big loss to the Kannada film industry. May his soul rest in peace, and may his family and fans find strength to bear the pain.
