Veteran Kannada Actor Dwarakish Passes Away at 81

Veteran Kannada actor, producer, and director Bungle Shama Rao Dwarakanath, popularly known as Dwarakish, has passed away at the age of 81. Dwarakish, born on August 19, 1942, in Hunsur, Mysuru district, was best recognized for his comedic roles that endeared him to audiences across Karnataka.

Dwarakish was a prominent figure in the Kannada film industry, having appeared in about 100 films and being involved in the production and direction of approximately 50 movies. His career took off in 1966 when he co-produced the film ‘Mamatheya Bandhana’ under the banner of Thunga Pictures, marking his entry into the world of cinema.

One of Dwarakish’s major milestones was producing the successful movie ‘Mayor Muthanna,’ starring Kannada cinema legend Rajkumar and actress Bharathi in lead roles. Throughout his career, Dwarakish also made significant contributions by introducing noted Hindi playback singer Kishore Kumar to the industry through the song ‘Aadu Aata Aadu.’

The actor later ventured into production and direction, creating several memorable films such as ‘Singaporenalli Raja Kulla,’ ‘Kalla Kulla,’ ‘Kittu Puttu,’ ‘Rayaru Bandaru Mavana Manege,’ and ‘Apthamitra.’ Dwarakish also collaborated closely with the late Dr. Vishnuvardhan on multiple projects, including their acclaimed partnership in ‘Apthamitra,’ released in 2004.