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The man who had lunch with the light-boys

Anniversaries of public personalities are rarely associated with any meaningful emotion. But the birth anniversary of Kannada actor Dr Rajkumar, which falls on April 24, will be observed with fervour by his fans. What lingers in public memory today of Rajkumar, as the personification of all virtues vis-à-vis his films, is as much true of his persona.

He was a versatile actor and a good singer. He was an artiste of such superior strengths and involvement that it was difficult to find loopholes in his portrayals. But that is not the focus of this story. It is not even about the void he seems to have left in the common man’s psyche.

Much has been said about his modesty and decency. Nursing a drink or holding a cigarette was taboo to him and he led such a disciplined life till the end. Though his public appearances were a few, he is most remembered for his dignified and humble ways. It is those apparently inconsequential details of his conduct that one treasures and wishes to share with the reader.

All his 205 films were in Kannada and not one of them could be discarded as a flop. If his debut film, Bedara Kannappa (1954) gave him instant stardom and also struck an emotional chord with his audience, his last outing, Shabdavedi (2000) saw the ageing star endear himself as much to the teens as he did to his faithful fans, which transcended age, gender, social and economic barriers.

What one saw of Rajkumar on screen was much of what he was in person. He admitted that he did not know English, not with a parochial sense of patriotism, but with a genuine sense of being an ignoramus in the more ‘sophisticated’ ways of the world. For many years, one believed that this ‘humility’ was for public consumption. But how long can a charade go on without being discovered?

Always dressed in a spotless dhoti and white shirt, it was this mega star who, as a matter of principle, began the tradition of eating with the crew while shooting. He would sit cross-legged on the floor and eat the meal prepared for the staff along with the light-boys and other ‘menial’ members of the set. He would also be present on the sets the entire day because, according to him, “I am being paid for the film”.

One misconception about this legend is that he did not indulge in philanthrophic activities. One has to go back to the early Sixties when Kannada film production had come down due to shortage of raw film. Nearly 40 Kannadiga families living in Chennai, who depended on the Kannada film industry for their livelihood, had to face hardship. Rajkumar took on moral responsibility for feeding these families. Cashing in on his star value, he formed the Chalana Chitra Kalavidara Ranga with stalwarts such as G V Iyer and Balakrishna and toured Karnataka for several months enacting plays.

It is also a fallacy that Rajkumar was unapproachable. One recalls an incident at actor Jaggesh’s house-warming ceremony many years ago, when Rajkumar patted the empty seat next to him and invited one to sit for lunch with him. This gesture, coming from a mega star to a stranger, is not something one can perhaps say of actors of any other region. Rajkumar was a complete man — an epitome of humility. And that’s the reason why he still finds a place in our hearts.

Source: http://www.newindpress.com/sunday/sundayitems.asp?id=SEF20080419042436&eTitle=Cinema&rLink=0

© 2008 Dr. Rajkumar – Annavaru.