Dr. Rajkumar
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- April 24, 1929
- Died
- April 12, 2006 (aged 76)
- Birthplace
- Gajanur, Madras Residency
Biography
**Singanalluru Puttaswamaiah Muthuraj** (born 24 April 1929, died 12 April 2006), universally known by his stage name **Dr. Rajkumar**, was an Indian actor and playback singer who became the foundational pillar and a towering cultural icon of Kannada cinema. Regarded as one of the greatest and most versatile actors in the history of Indian cinema, he achieved a legendary matinée idol status among the Kannada diaspora, affectionately earning titles such as *Nata Saarvabhouma* (Emperor of Actors), *Bangarada Manushya* (Man of Gold), *Gaana Gandharva* (Celestial singer), and simply *Annavru* (Elder Brother). Born in Doddagajanur, a settlement in the Madras Presidency, into a family of impoverished theatre artists, he was named Muthuraj after the Hindu deity Hanuman. He began his acting career at a young age, performing as a drama artist with the renowned Gubbi Drama Company. His extensive theater background laid the foundation for his immaculate diction and extraordinary range of performances. Rajkumar transitioned to the silver screen with his first adult role in *Sri Srinivasa Kalyana* (1952), but his major breakthrough came two years later when he debuted as a lead actor in the 1954 classic *Bedara Kannappa*. The film was a massive success, famously addressing social discrimination, and launched him into unprecedented stardom. Over the next five decades, he starred in over 200 films, notably portraying the highest number of historical, mythological, and devotional characters in Indian cinema. He also broke new ground in *Jedara Bale* (1968), becoming the first actor in India to enact a full-fledged James Bond style spy role and sparking a new espionage genre in the industry. His cinematic dominance and mass appeal led to numerous incredible records. He is the first actor to have 39 of his movies remade 63 times across 9 different languages by 34 actors. Furthermore, his performance in the landmark film *Bangaarada Manushya* was included in Forbes' list of "25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema." Beyond acting, Rajkumar was an exceptional classical and playback singer, making him the only lead actor in Indian cinema to win the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer. His monumental contributions to Indian art and culture were recognized with the Padma Bhushan in 1983 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1995. Upon his passing in 2006, The New York Times described him as one of India's most popular movie stars.
Known For
Filmography
Shabdavedhi
Movie · as Sandeep
Odahuttidavaru
Movie · as Ramanna
Gandhada Gudi Part 2
Movie
Akasmika
Movie · as Narasimha Murthy
Jeevana Chaithra
Movie · as Vishwanathaiah
Parashuram
Movie
Shiva Mecchida Kannappa
Movie · as Lord Shiva
Devatha Manushya
Movie · as Krishna Murthy
Ondu Muttina Kathe
Movie · as Aithu
Shruthi Seridaga
Movie · as Dr. G. N. Murthy
Bhagyada Lakshmi Baaramma
Movie
Guri
Movie · as Kaliprasad
Anuraaga Aralithu
Movie · as Shankar
Ade Kannu
Movie · as Jagannath Rao & Gopi
Jwalamukhi
Movie · as Jayasimha
Dhruva Taare
Movie · as Sagar
Samayada Gombe
Movie · as Gurumurthy
Shravana Banthu
Movie · as Raghu/Kumar/Peter
Apoorva Sangama
Movie · as Gopi Krishna / Santhosh
Yaarivanu
Movie · as Inspector Bhaskar
Bhakta Prahlada
Movie · as Hiranyakashipu
Kamana Billu
Movie · as Suryanarayana "Soorappa"
Kaviratna Kalidasa
Movie · as Kalidasa
Eradu Nakshatragalu
Movie · as Vijaya
Hosa Belaku
Movie · as Ravi
Chalisuva Modagalu
Movie · as Mohan
Haalu Jenu
Movie · as Ranga
Nee Nanna Gellalare
Movie · as Srikanth
Bhagyavantha
Movie · as Cameo
Haavina Hede
Movie · as Muthanna
Keralida Simha
Movie · as Shankar
Vasantha Geetha
Movie · as Vasantha
Ravi Chandra
Movie · as Ravi / Chandra
Huliya Halina Mevu
Movie · as Chengumani
Naanobba Kalla
Movie · as Gopi / DCP Chandrashekhar / Self
Operation Diamond Racket
Movie · as Prakash
Thaayige Thakka Maga
Movie · as Kumar
Shankar Guru
Movie · as 'Jairaj' Rajashekhar/ Shankar / Guru
Babruvahana
Movie · as Arjuna / Babruvahana
Sanaadi Appanna
Movie · as Appanna
Olavu Geluvu
Movie · as Mohan
Girikanye
Movie · as Chenna
Bhaagyavantharu
Movie · as Kumar
Raja Nanna Raja
Movie · as Raja
Premada Kanike
Movie · as Manohar
Naa Ninna Mareyalare
Movie · as Anand
Badavara Bandhu
Movie · as Ranga
Bahaddur Gandu
Movie · as Panju
Daari Thappida Maga
Movie · as Prakash 'Prashanth' / Prasad
Mayura
Movie · as Mayura
Trimurthy
Movie · as Sridhar/Vijay/Shekhar/Sheshagiri
Eradu Kanasu
Movie · as Ramu
Bangarada Panjara
Movie · as Beera
Bhaktha Kumbara
Movie · as Gora
Sampatthige Savaal
Movie · as Veerabhadra
Sri Srinivasa Kalyana
Movie · as Lord Venkateswara
Swayamvara
Movie · as Natraj
Doorada Betta
Movie · as Shivu
Gandhada Gudi
Movie · as Kumar
Mooruvare Vajragalu
Movie · as Narada / Krishna
Bidugade
Movie · as Shekhar
Devaru Kotta Thangi
Movie
Hrudaya Sangama
Movie · as Jamindaar Rajanna / Kumar
Sipayi Ramu
Movie · as Ramu alias Ram Singh
Jaga Mecchida Maga
Movie · as Aditya
Bangaarada Manushya
Movie · as Rajeeva
Kranthiveera
Movie · as Vijay
Bhale Huchcha
Movie · as Gopi
Nanda Gokula
Movie
Janma Rahasya
Movie
Kasturi Nivasa
Movie · as Ravi Varma
Sakshathkara
Movie · as Mahesh
Prathidhwani
Movie · as Ashok
Kula Gourava
Movie · as Raghunatha Rao / Ravi 'Chandrashekharaiah' / Shankar
Kasidre Kailasa
Movie · as Gopinath
Nyayave Devaru
Movie · as Raghu
Sri Krishna Rukmini Sathyabhama
Movie · as Krishna
Namma Samsara
Movie
Thayi Devaru
Movie
Baala Bandhana
Movie
Sri Krishnadevaraya
Movie · as Krishnadevaraya
Karulina Kare
Movie · as Parameshi
Bhoopathi Ranga
Movie · as Bhaskar
Bhale Jodi
Movie · as Suresh / Ramesh
C.I.D. Rajanna
Movie · as Rajanna
Baalu Belagithu
Movie · as Shankar / Papanna
Paropakari
Movie · as Mohan/Ramanna
Nanna Thamma
Movie
Hasiru Thorana
Movie · as Madhu
Mr. Rajkumar
Movie · as Kumar/Raj/Farooq Baba
Devara Makkalu
Movie · as Ranga
Nadina Bhagya
Movie · as Balu
Operation Jackpotnalli C.I.D 999
Movie · as Prakash
Mayor Muthanna
Movie · as Mutthanna
Choori Chikkanna
Movie · as Choori Chikkanna/Bhaskar
Uyyaale
Movie · as Krishna
Gandondu Hennaru
Movie · as Anand Rao
Margadarshi
Movie · as Srikanth
Bhale Raja
Movie · as Shivaraj/Raju
Mallamana Pavaada
Movie · as Chandrakantha
Punarjanma
Movie · as Chenna
Chikkamma
Movie · as Sundar
Goadalli C.I.D 999
Movie · as Prakash (C.I.D 999)
Jedara Bale
Movie · as Prakash
Hannele Chiguridaga
Movie
Bengaluru Mail
Movie · as Shyamsundar
Bhaagyada Baagilu
Movie · as Raju
Dhoomakethu
Movie · as Kumar
Gandhinagara
Movie · as Shekhar
Nata Sarvabhouma
Movie · as Himself
Amma
Movie · as Sridhar
Mannina Maga
Movie · as Raju
Rowdy Ranganna
Movie
Manassakshi
Movie
Sarvamangala
Movie
Bhagya Devathe
Movie
Simha Swapna
Movie
Mahasathi Arundhati
Movie
Immadi Pulikeshi
Movie · as Immadi Pulikeshi
Bangarada Hoovu
Movie
Gange Gowri
Movie · as Lord Shiva
Lagnapathrike
Movie · as Raghuram
Rajadurgada Rahasya
Movie · as Ramanna Nayaka / Somanna Nayaka
Beedi Basavanna
Movie · as Gopal Rao
Chakratheertha
Movie · as Damodar
Parvathi Kalyana
Movie
Sathi Sukanya
Movie
Rajasekhara
Movie
Devara Gedda Manava
Movie
Manasiddare Marga
Movie
Manthralaya Mahathme
Movie · as Raghavendra swamy
Sandhya Raaga
Movie · as Lakshmana
Baala Naagamma
Movie
Emme Thammanna
Movie · as 'Emme' Thammanna / Murali
Thoogudeepa
Movie
Katari Veera
Movie
Premamayi
Movie
Kiladi Ranga
Movie
Madhu Malathi
Movie
Sri Kanyaka Parameshwari Kathe
Movie
Mohini Bhasmasura
Movie
Sathya Harishchandra
Movie · as Raja Harishchandra
Bettada Huli
Movie · as Raju
Maduve Madi Nodu
Movie · as Vasu
Sarvagna Murthy
Movie
Naga Pooja
Movie
Chandrahasa
Movie
Vaatsalya
Movie
Sathi Savithri
Movie
Mahasathi Anasuya
Movie
Ide Mahasudina
Movie
Pathivratha
Movie
Naandi
Movie · as Murthy
Chandavalliya Thota
Movie · as Hanuma
Shivarathri Mahathme
Movie · as Vijaya, King of Simhapuri
Navakoti Narayana
Movie · as Purandaradasa
Prathigne
Movie · as Shankar
Annapoorna
Movie
Tumbida Koda
Movie
Shivagange Mahatme
Movie
Muriyada Mane
Movie
Veerakesari
Movie · as Narasimhanayaka
Nanda Deepa
Movie · as Shankar
Mana Mecchida Madadi
Movie · as Srinath
Kanyarathna
Movie · as Raju
Valmiki
Movie
Kulavadhu
Movie
Sathi Shakthi
Movie · as Rakthaaksha / Viroopaaksha
Santha Thukaram
Movie · as Tukaram
Sri Rama Anjaneya Yuddha
Movie
Malli Maduve
Movie · as Ananda and Paramananda (Dual roles)
Saaku Magalu
Movie · as Raghuram
Gowri
Movie
Jeevana Tharanga
Movie
Kalitharu Henne
Movie
Chandra Kumara
Movie
Vidhi Vilasa
Movie
Mahathma Kabir
Movie
Bhoodana
Movie · as Dasanna
Karuneye Kutumbada Kannu
Movie · as Kumar
Swarnagowri
Movie
Gaali Gopura
Movie
Thejaswini
Movie
Devasundari
Movie
Kantheredu Nodu
Movie · as Gopanna
Kittur Chennamma
Movie · as Raja Mallasarja
Sri Shaila Mahathme
Movie
Kaivara Mahathme
Movie · as Narayanappa
Bhakta Cheta
Movie · as Cheta
Nagarjuna
Movie · as Nagarjuna
Ranadheera Kanteerava
Movie · as Ranadheera Kanteerava
Bhaktha Kanakadasa
Movie · as Kanakadasa
Rani Honnamma
Movie · as Veeranna
Aasha Sundari
Movie · as Gunasheela
Dashavathara
Movie · as Hiranyakashipu / Ravana / Shishupala
Abba! Aa Hudugi
Movie · as Shankar
Jagajyothi Basveshwara
Movie · as King Bijjala
Mahishasura Mardini
Movie · as Mahishasura
Dharma Vijaya
Movie
Bhookailasa
Movie · as Ravana
Anna Thangi
Movie
Shree Krishna Gaarudi
Movie
Rayara Sose
Movie
Sathi Nalayini
Movie
Hari Bhakta
Movie · as Hari/Pundarika
Bhaktha Vijaya
Movie · as Santoba Pavar
Ohileshwara
Movie
Sodari
Movie · as Kailasanath
Bedara Kannappa
Movie · as Dinna/Kannappa
Sri Kaalahasthi Mahatyam
Movie · as Thinnayya / Kannappa