It is unlikely if a non-Kannadiga will ever
understand the Dr Raj Kumar phenomenon,
but it wouldn’t hurt to try.
Unlike Amitabh
Bachchan, he was not the star of the millennium, ubiquitous in movies,
songs, ads, commercials, stage events, voice-overs, documentaries, etc.
Unlike NTR and MGR, he never tried to extract his box office
appeal at the ballot box, although he could well have and many political
parties did try.
Unlike Prem
Nazir, he did not act in hundreds of films, just a couple of hundred
of them in a long career spanning nearly five decades.
Unlike Kamal
Hassan, Rajnikanth and Chiranjeevi, he never tried his hand
at other south Indian languages.
Unlike his own colleague and compatriot, Vishnuvardhan, he never ventured into
Bollywood.
Unlike Naseeruddin
Shah and Shah Rukh Khan, he
was never very comfortable in English and rarely ever tried to explain the
secret of his craft.
But….
But, to see star after star of Kannada filmdom
sob and cry and to launch into adjectives, and to see them sob and cry again as
they fall short of words to explain, to understand the passing of a legend is a
small lesson in what an abstract thing genuine superstardom is.
Stardom that transcends the ordinary and
nearly touches the divine.
On television, older stars like Vishnuvardhan
are saying that as long as the sun and moon exist, Dr Raj’s name will shine on
and be synonymous with our language and its culture. “Dr Raj was Kannada;
without him Kannada won’t exist,” he says.
On television, younger stars like Ramesh Aravind are talking of how it
seems as if every family in the whole State and beyond seems to have all lost
the head of the family, all at the same time. “Without him, Kannada filmdom
would be nothing,” he says.
On television, T.N.
Seetharam is saying how the State, the language and its culture have lost
their moral compass that has also had social moorings.
On television, the Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy is
saying how there will never be another Dr Raj Kumar ever again.
But even these fail to convey the true
significance of a life, a legend.
The numbers tell a small story. An oeuvre of
205 films. A career of 45 years. Ten Filmfare awards. Nine State awards for
best actor. A national award for singing. Padma Vibhushan. Dada Saheb Phalke award. Etc.
But all of these fade in front of the big ‘D’
that Dr Rajkumar brought to the screen and more importantly, off it.
D for decency.
Decency in his choice of films and topics.
Decency in his public and private conduct.
Decency in the manner in which he accepted
victory and defeat.
Decency virtually in the manner in which he
went about things.
This decency, in a profession that has very
little of it; this decency, in an industry that could do with a lot of it; this
decency that is inherent in the average Kannadiga is what tied annavru subliminally to his
countless fans.
It is this subliminal connect that is behind
the tears.
It is this subliminal connect that makes it
difficult to believe.
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Dr Raj Kumar’s Top-20 Songs
H.C. LAKSHMIKANTH writes: Forget K.L. Saigal, forget Geeta
Dutt, forget Kishore Kumar. Dr Raj Kumar was Indian cinema's finest singing
star. Ever. No question about it.
From romantic ditties to devotional numbers, Dr Raj proved
over and over again that he could sing most competently, as well as Dr P.B.
Srinivas who did the playback for him before he took over the mike himself.
From the hundreds of songs he sang for his own films and for
that of others in recent times, it is difficult to come up with a Top-10 list.
Which is why we have a Top-20
1) Elladaru Iru Entaadaru Iru (Kuvempu-Kannadave Satya)
3) Naaniruvude Ninagaagi (Mayura)
4)
5) Banigondu elle yellide (Premada Kanike)
6) Cheluveye Ninna Nodalu (Hosa Belaku)
8) Jenina Holeyo, Haalina Maleyo (Chalisuva Modagalu)
9) Maanavanaguveya Illaa Daanavanaaguveya( Bahaddur Gandu)
10) Yaare koogadali (Sampathige Savaal)
11) Baadihoda balli inda (Eradu Kanasu)
12) Yaava Kaviyu Bareyalaara (Baagyada Lakshmi Baaramma)
12) Yaava Kaviyu Bareyalaara (Baagyada Lakshmi Baaramma)
14) Jagave Ondu Ranaranga (Ranaranga)
15) O Entha Soundarya Kande (Ravichandra)
16) Love me or Hate Me (Operation Diamond Racket)
20) Maanikya Veena (Sanskrit Shloka from Kaviratna Kaalidaasa)
15) O Entha Soundarya Kande (Ravichandra)
16) Love me or Hate Me (Operation Diamond Racket)
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