Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, We All Love Your Powerstar!!!

I have always waited for a Friday. It means the end of the week and I am sure it is the case for most of you out there. However Friday, October 29 was not something I was waiting for.

By 12 noon horrible news had started to trickle in and the man whose song (Appu Dance) I was working out to was going to leave us for ever. Puneeth Rajkumar a.k.a Appu a.k.a Power Star is no more and it has been several hours since and I like lakhs of others am unable to process this

My wife and I settle down in the evening for a long chat everyday and last night I did not want to speak about this because it was so horridly depressing. I tried to evade the topic, speak about something else, but it came back to just one topic and that was, " I can't believe he is gone."

Many of us from Karnataka grew up watching Puneeth, then known as Lohith. Who can forget the evergreen song, 'kanadanthe mayavadanu?" That song sounds so real today as that is what he did. He just left and none of us even realised as it happened so soon.

I have seen Puneeth on numerous occasions, but there are two I will always cherish and remember. The one dates back to my school days, when I had come to take part in a state level badminton tournament. I had just finished my game and I came out of the court.

I was on my knees and tying my shoelaces when I realised that there was this person who was standing in front of me. I looked up and it was Puneeth Rajkumar. I smiled at him and said hello sir. Initially I thought I was blocking his path and immediately said sorry. He said, 'no, I just wanted to tell you that you played well and all the best for the next game. Obviously, I was thrilled to bits. Not only was he Puneeth, but also the son of Dr. Rajkumar. It really moved me as the simplicity of the man was just outstanding.

The next meeting was a good 16 years later. I had become a journalist by then. I had gone to a patisserie to collect something. I saw outside the patisserie, Puneeth sitting all by himself looking into his mobile. I felt I should go up to him and say hello.

Hello sir, I said. He looked up and smiled and shook hands. I asked him what he was doing there. He told me his wife was inside the patisserie and he was waiting for her. I smiled and said, " sir even superstars have to do this?" He laughed and later I reminded him that I had spoken to him outside the badminton court. He smiled and then said all the best.

Puneeth in my view was a great talent and more importantly a humble and extremely simple human being considering his family background and his superstar status. I could honestly say they dont make men like that anymore. Appu, here is a big thank you for all the smiles, entertainment and most importantly the human being that you were. You lit up our screens with your acting skills and yes, I would like to add, you were a phenomenal dancer. Dance Dance Dance Appu is the first song I listen to in the morning. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, We All Love Your Powerstar!!!