Kannada Actor Dwarakish Passes Away; Siddaramaiah, BSY Express Condolence Over His Demise

Veteran Kannada actor-producer Dwarakish passed away on Tuesday. He was aged 81.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other political leaders have expressed their condolence over the demise of Dwarakish passed away earlier today after suffering a cardiac arrest.

In a condolence post, the Karnataka CM expressed his deep sadness over the Kannada film personality's death. "It is with deep sadness that we learn of the passing of the beloved 'Prachanda Kulla' Dwarkeesh, a stalwart of the Kannada film industry, having contributed as an actor, director, and producer for many years. Despite sharing the screen with luminaries like Dr. Rajkumar and Dr. Vishnuvardhan, he carved his own niche in the hearts of audiences with his comedic prowess," Siddaramaiah said.

He said, "The loss of Dwarkeesh leaves a void in Kannada cinema. May his soul find eternal peace, and may his family and fans find the strength to endure this profound loss."

Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa expressed his shock over Dwarakish's death. "I pray that God gives strength to his family, friends and fans to bear this grief. Om Shanti," the BJP leader stated.

Who was Dwarakish?

Born on August 19, 1942, in Mysuru, his original name was Bungle Shama Rao Dwarakanath. It was Kannada filmmaker CV Shankar who gave him the screen name Dwarakish.

He did his schooling in Mysuru and graduated from CPC Polytechnic with a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering. Alongside his brother, he ventured into the automotive spare parts business, establishing "Bharath Auto Spares" in Gandhi Square. However, his passion for acting led him to seek opportunities in the film industry.

Encouraged by his maternal uncle, renowned cinema director Hunusur Krishnamurthy, Dwarakish made his debut in movies in 1963, subsequently transitioning from business to acting.

In 1966, Dwarakish co-produced the film 'Mamatheya Bandhana' with two others under the Thunga Pictures banner. His first independent production, 'Mayor Muthanna,' released in 1969 and starring Dr Rajkumar and Bharathi, became a commercial success.

Dwarakish had got Dr Rajkumar's callsheet after continuous attempts. For his debut movie on his banner Dwarakish Chitra, he acquired the story from Tamil author G Balasubramniam and collaborated with Chi Udayashankar on the screenplay.

Helmed by newcomer Siddalingaiah (later hailed as a legendary Kannada filmmaker), the movie turned out to be a hit at the box office.

Following this triumph, Dwarakish contributed a string of box office hits to Kannada cinema throughout the next two decades.

Dwarakish and Dr Vishnuvardhan collaborated on several successful films, such as 'Kalla Kulla', 'Guru Sishyaru', 'Rayaru Bandaru Mavana Manege', and 'Kittu Puttu'. Their partnership yielded numerous hits until they parted ways due to personal differences.

However, they reconciled for 'Apthamitra', which turned out to be a blockbuster success.

He was considered as the first showman of Sandalwood as he was known for lavish sets and great songs. It has to be noted that he was the first Indian producer to shoot a movie in the forests of Africa with his 1986 film 'Africadalli Sheela'.

Unfortunately, this movie bombed at the box office and Dwarakish which put him in a huge debt. Thereafter, he struggled to recover from the loss as he was forced to sell his house.