Puneeth Rajkumar Quick Facts
| Full Name | Puneeth Rajkumar |
| Popular Name | Power Star |
| Profession | Actor, Playback Singer, Film Producer, Television Presenter |
| Date of Birth | 17 March 1975 |
| Died | 29 October 2021, Bengaluru, aged 46 |
| Birthplace | Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Years Active | 1976–2021 |
| Debut | Premada Kanike (1976) as a child artist; lead debut in Appu (2002) |
| Breakthrough | Appu (2002) |
| Known For | Appu, Milana, Arasu, Jackie, Hudugaru, Raajakumara, James |
| Spouse | Ashwini Revanth (married 1 December 1999) |
| Parents | Dr. Rajkumar and Parvathamma Rajkumar |
Puneeth Rajkumar Career in Numbers
Here is a quick snapshot of Puneeth Rajkumar’s career.
| Milestone | Details |
|---|---|
| Films | About 60 acting credits, including child roles and posthumous releases |
| Career Span | 1976–2021 |
| Languages | Kannada, with a Malayalam reshoot of Mythri |
| Lead Films | 32 films as a lead actor, according to his Wikipedia-listed career summary |
| Major Awards | One National Film Award (child artist), four Karnataka State Film Awards, six Filmfare Awards South, and five SIIMA awards, per the cited list |
| Last Release | Raktha Kashmira (2026), posthumous special appearance |
Early Life and Family
Puneeth Rajkumar was born on 17 March 1975 in Madras, now Chennai. He is the son of Dr. Rajkumar and Parvathamma Rajkumar, and the younger brother of Shiva Rajkumar and Raghavendra Rajkumar.
He began acting as a child in 1976 and received the National Film Award for Best Child Artist for Bettada Hoovu (1985).
Puneeth Rajkumar Career Journey
Child Actor (1976–1989)
He appeared in more than a dozen films as a child, including Bhakta Prahlada (1983) and Bettada Hoovu (1985). He was credited as Master Lohith in several early films.
Lead Actor (2002–2010)
Appu (2002) was his lead debut. Abhi, Veera Kannadiga and Maurya followed, and Arasu (2007) and Milana (2007) established him as a leading actor. Jackie (2010) earned him a Udaya Film Award for Best Actor.
Mainstream Success and Other Work (2011–2021)
Hudugaru (2011) brought him a SIIMA Best Actor award. Raajakumara (2017) and Natasaarvabhowma (2019) were among his later releases. He also worked as a playback singer, film producer under PRK Productions, and television presenter of Kannadada Kotyadhipati from 2012. Yuvarathnaa (2021) was his final film before his death.
Puneeth Rajkumar Movies: Complete Filmography
Below is Puneeth Rajkumar’s acting filmography. All films are in Kannada. Posthumous releases are marked in brackets. Narration and production credits are not included in this table.
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Premada Kanike (Credited as Master Rajkumar) | An infant |
| 1977 | Sanaadi Appanna (Child role) | Young Ashok |
| 1978 | Thayige Thakka Maga (Child role) | Young Kumar |
| 1980 | Vasantha Geetha (Child role) | Shyaam |
| 1981 | Bhoomige Banda Bhagavantha (Child role) | Krishna |
| 1981 | Bhagyavantha (Child role) | Krishna |
| 1982 | Hosa Belaku (Child role) | Puttu |
| 1982 | Chalisuva Modagalu (Child role) | Ramu |
| 1983 | Bhakta Prahlada (Child role) | Prahlada |
| 1983 | Eradu Nakshatragalu (Child role) | Raja |
| 1984 | Yarivanu (Child role) | Shyam |
| 1985 | Bettada Hoovu (National Film Award for Best Child Artist) | Ramu |
| 1988 | Shiva Mecchida Kannappa (Child role) | Young Dinna |
| 1989 | Parashuram (Child role) | Appu |
| 2002 | Appu (Lead debut) | Appu |
| 2003 | Abhi | Abhishek Abhi |
| 2004 | Veera Kannadiga (Dual role) | Munna / Shankar |
| 2004 | Maurya | Manu |
| 2005 | Aakash | Aakash |
| 2005 | Namma Basava | Basava |
| 2006 | Ajay | Ajay |
| 2007 | Arasu (Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Kannada)) | Shivaraj Arasu |
| 2007 | Milana (Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor) | Aakash |
| 2008 | Bindaas | Shivu |
| 2008 | Vamshi | Vamshi |
| 2009 | Raaj The Showman | Muthuraj |
| 2009 | Raam | Raam |
| 2010 | Prithvi | Prithvi Kumar |
| 2010 | Jackie (Udaya Film Award for Best Actor) | Janakirama Jackie |
| 2011 | Hudugaru (SIIMA Best Actor) | Prabhu |
| 2011 | Paramathma | Param |
| 2012 | Anna Bond | Bond Ravi |
| 2012 | Yaare Koogadali | Kumara |
| 2014 | Ninnindale | Vicky Venkatesh |
| 2014 | Power | Bharath Kumar IPS |
| 2015 | Mythri (Partly reshot in Malayalam as My Hero) | Himself |
| 2015 | Rana Vikrama (Dual role) | ACP Vikram Kumar / Rana Vikrama |
| 2016 | Chakravyuha | Lohith |
| 2016 | Doddmane Hudga | Surya |
| 2017 | Raajakumara (Several awards) | Siddharth |
| 2017 | Anjani Putra | Viraj |
| 2018 | Humble Politician Nograj (Cameo) | Himself |
| 2019 | Natasaarvabhowma | Gagan Dixit |
| 2019 | Padde Huli (Cameo) | Himself |
| 2020 | Mayabazar 2016 (Cameo in a song) | Himself |
| 2021 | Yuvarathnaa | Yuvaraj |
| 2022 | James (Posthumous release) | Santosh Kumar James |
| 2022 | Lucky Man (Posthumous release; extended cameo) | God |
| 2022 | Gandhada Gudi (Posthumous documentary film) | Himself |
| 2023 | Hostel Hudugaru Bekkagiddare (Posthumous release; special appearance) | Himself |
| 2026 | Raktha Kashmira (Posthumous release; special appearance in a song) | Himself |
Puneeth Rajkumar Awards and Achievements
| Year | Award | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | National Film Award – Best Child Artist | Bettada Hoovu |
| 1982 | Karnataka State Film Award – Best Child Actor | Chalisuva Modagalu |
| 1983 | Karnataka State Film Award – Best Child Actor | Eradu Nakshatragalu |
| 2007 | Karnataka State Film Award – Best Actor | Milana |
| 2007 | Filmfare Awards South – Best Actor (Kannada) | Arasu |
| 2011 | SIIMA – Best Actor | Hudugaru |
| 2022 | Honorary doctorate, Mysuru University (posthumous) | Awarded 22 March 2022 |
| 2022 | Karnataka Ratna (posthumous) | Conferred 1 November 2022 |
| 2022 | Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (posthumous) | 67th Filmfare Awards |
Puneeth Rajkumar Personal Life
Puneeth Rajkumar married Ashwini Revanth on 1 December 1999. The couple had two daughters. He was known for social work, including sponsoring students’ education and donating his eyes after his death.
Puneeth Rajkumar Net Worth
No reliable net worth estimate from an independent, named and dated published source was found for Puneeth Rajkumar. Figures reported in October 2021 rely on Wikipedia and unnamed web portals, so this profile does not state a figure. Reports describe him as one of the highest-paid actors in Kannada cinema of his time, but no income amount is given.
Death and Legacy
Puneeth Rajkumar died on 29 October 2021 in Bengaluru, aged 46. He had complained of uneasiness and died on the way to hospital. The reason was declared to be a heart attack.
He was posthumously awarded the Karnataka Ratna in November 2022 and an honorary doctorate by Mysuru University in March 2022. His eye donation was widely reported, and his films James (2022) and Gandhada Gudi (2022) were released after his death.
Lesser-Known Facts About Puneeth Rajkumar
- He was credited as Master Lohith in several of his early child roles.
- He was a playback singer and sang for several films.
- He hosted the Kannada game show Kannadada Kotyadhipati from 2012.
- He ran the production house PRK Productions.
- He narrated the 2014 film Bahaddur and the 2020 film India vs England.
Legacy and Impact
Puneeth Rajkumar is remembered as one of Kannada cinema’s most popular actors and as a figure of social service in Karnataka. His posthumous releases and honours continue to draw attention to his work.
Frequently Asked Questions About Puneeth Rajkumar
How old was Puneeth Rajkumar when he died?
He was born on 17 March 1975 and died on 29 October 2021, aged 46.
What was Puneeth Rajkumar’s debut film?
He first appeared as a child artist in Premada Kanike (1976). His lead debut was Appu (2002).
What was Puneeth Rajkumar’s biggest film?
Appu (2002) was his breakthrough as a lead. Hudugaru (2011), which earned a SIIMA Best Actor award, and Raajakumara (2017) are also among his best-known films.
What were Puneeth Rajkumar’s latest films?
Yuvarathnaa (2021) was his last film released during his lifetime. Posthumous releases include James (2022), Lucky Man (2022), Hostel Hudugaru Bekkagiddare (2023) and Raktha Kashmira (2026).
What is Puneeth Rajkumar’s net worth?
No reliable, dated and independently sourced net worth estimate was found, so this profile does not publish a figure.
Final Summary
From his first appearance as a child in 1976 to his lead career and social work, Puneeth Rajkumar remains one of the most loved figures in Kannada cinema.
