Bedara
Kannappa
(1954)
Bedara
Kannappa
had
many
firsts
to
its
credit.
It
was
the
first
film
in
which
Dr
Rajkumar
played
the
lead
role,
it
was
the
first
Sandalwood
film
that
ran
for
100
days
in
theatres
and
it
brought
the
first
National
Award
to
Kannada
cinema.
It
was
directed
by
HLN
Simha
and
produced
by
CR
Basavaraju.
It
featured
Pandari
Bai,
Raja
Sulochana,
and
Narasimha
Raju
in
the
leads.
The
song
'Shivappa
kayo
tande...'
composed
by
R
Sudarshanam
is
very
popular
even
today.
Satya
Harischandra
(1965)
Satya
Harischandra
was
made
two
times
in
Kannada,
first
in
1943
which
starred
Subbaiah
Naidu
and
then
in
1965
that
featured
Dr
Rajkumar.
Hunsur
Krishnamurthy
had
directed
the
second
version
and
it
featured
legends
like
Pandari
Bai,
in
the
role
of
Raj's
wife,
MP
Shankar
in
the
role
of
lord
Yama,
and
Hasya
Chaktravarthi
Narasimharaju
as
Nakshatrika.
Uday
Kumar
had
played
the
role
of
Maharshi
Vishwamitra.
It
also
featured
Ashwath
and
Dwarakish
in
minor
roles.
The
film
was
re-released
several
times
and
it
was
well-received
by
audience
every
time
the
film
hit
the
screens.
In
2008,
the
film
was
released
in
colour
format
by
KCN
Enterprises,
which
owned
the
rights
of
the
movie.
This
was
also
the
third
film
in
India
to
be
converted
to
colour
from
black
and
white
after
film
Mughal-E-Azam
in
2004
and
Naya
Daur
in
2007.
Kasturi
Nivasa
(1971)
'Aadisidaata
Besara
Moodi
Aata
Mugisida...'
track
from
the
film
Kasturi
Nivasa
is
the
tragic
tune
of
Sandalwood.
In
the
modern
days,
television
channels
use
this
tune
when
a
cine
actor
or
popular
celebrity
dies.
The
film
directed
by
Dorai-Bhagavan
also
featured
Jayanthi,
KS
Ashwath
and
Arathi
in
other
roles.
The
story
of
passionate
love
and
sacrifice
film
was
supposed
to
be
made
in
Tamil
but
G
Balasubramanyam's
script
did
not
appeal
Shivaji
Ganeshan.
Later,
it
changed
hands
from
the
original
writer
and
landed
with
Dorai-Bhagavan.
It
was
interesting
to
note
that
the
Tamil
superstar
remade
it
in
Kollywood
after
witnessing
massive
response
in
Sandalwood.
When
the
film
hit
the
screens
it
ran
only
for
four
weeks
due
to
a
prior
agreement
between
producers
and
exhibitors.
But
it
ran
for
over
100
days
at
many
cinema
halls
across
the
State
during
the
second
and
subsequent
runs.
Sakshatkara
(1971)
Sakshatkara
was
the
third
combo
film
of
Rajkumar
and
legendary
director
Puttanna
Kanagal,
and
eventually
it
became
their
last
as
they
could
not
work
after
the
massive
success
of
the
film.
The
movie
featured
Jamuna,
Bollywood
actor
Prithviraj
Kapoor,
Narasimharaju,
Balakrishna,
Vajramuni
and
others
in
the
cast.
Sakshatkara
is
about
the
superstitious
beliefs
around
marriage
and
how
unscrupulous
elements
in
society
could
manipulate
these
beliefs
to
their
benefit
and
lead
to
tragic
consequences.
Like
many
other
films,
this
movie
too
saw
a
few
re-release
and
was
well
received
by
audience.
Bangaaradha
Manushya
(1972)
Bangaaradha
Manushya
was
not
a
film
for
Kannadigas
but
a
change!
Yes,
the
movie
had
a
huge
impact
on
urban
youths,
who
left
the
city
after
watching
the
film
and
returned
to
villages
to
take
up
their
prime
occupation
agriculture.
Directed
by
Siddalingaiah,
the
film
starred
Bharathi,
Vajramuni,
MP
Shankar,
Balakrishna,
Srinath,
Dwarakish
and
others
in
the
cast.
The
film
ran
for
over
two
years
at
the
States
Theatre
(Bhoomika
at
present
in
KG
Road,
Majestic)
in
Bangalore
and
created
history.
It
is
also
remembered
as
the
landmark
film
in
Annavaru's
career.
Gandhada
Gudi
(1973)
Gandhada
Gudi
was
150th
film
of
Dr
Rajkumar.
The
film
was
biggest
commercial
hit
of
his
career
in
70s.
The
film,
which
also
featured
Kalpana,
Balakrishna
and
Narasimharaju
in
key
roles,
was
the
only
film
which
starred
two
legends
of
Kannada
-
Raj
and
Vishnuvardhan.
The
song
'Naavuduva
nudi...' is
a
popular
song
crooned
on
Kannada
land
and
it
is
very
popular
even
today.
But
the
movie
was
marred
by
controversies
after
a
real
bullet
was
accidentally
triggered
by
Vishnuvardhan
at
Rajkumar.
Sampathige
Savaal
(1974)
AV
Seshagiri
Rao
directorial
movie
Sampathige
Savaal
was
one
of
the
biggest
commercial
hits
of
Dr
Rajkumar's
career.
The
film
featured
Manjula,
Vajramuni,
AV
Rajamma,
Rajashankar,
Balakrishna
and
others
in
the
cast.
PB
Sreenivas
was
inseparable
part
of
Dr
Rajkumar's
films
for
decades
but
in
1974,
when
the
singer
could
not
croon
the
track,
music
director
of
GK
Venkatesh
persuaded
the
actor
to
sing
the
famous
song
'Yaare
koogadali...'
and
rest
is
the
history.
Mayura
(1975)
Mayura
was
a
landmark
historical
film
made
on
Kadamba
dynasty.
The
film
is
considered
by
many
as
a
symbol
of
Kannada
pride.
It
was
written
by
Devudu
Narasimhashastri
and
directed
by
Vijay.
Dr
Rajkumar,
Srinath,
Manjula,
Vajramuni,
Balakrishna,
Manjula,
Ashwath,
MP
Shankar
and
others
were
in
the
cast.
It
was
one
of
the
hits
of
1975.
'Naniruvude
nimagagi,
nadiruvudu
namagagi...'
track
of
the
film
was
probably
first
Kannada
song
that
inspired
mass
and
made
realise
the
importance
of
having
'hope'
in
life.
Babruvaahana
(1977)
Babruvaahana
was
written
and
directed
by
Hunsur
Krishna
Murthy,
and
starred
Rajkumar
in
dual
role
as
Arjuna
and
Babruvahana,
B
Saroja
Devi
as
Chitrāngadā,
Kanchana
as
Uloopi,
and
Jayamala
as
Subhadra.
The
Hindu
mythological
film
not
only
won
the
hearts
of
Kannada
audience
but
also
bagged
two
state
awards
in
Best
Actor
(Dr
Rajkumar)
and
Best
Sound
Recording
(SP
Ramanathan)
categories.
'Yaaru
teliyaru
ninna
bhuja
bala...'
track
from
the
film
is
one
of
the
all
time
favourite
songs
of
Raj
fans.
Operation
Diamond
Racket
(1978)
Operation
Diamond
Racket
was
the
fourth
Bond
film
in
the
combo
of
Rajkumar
and
Dorai
Bhagawan.
The
film
became
the
biggest
hit
among
this
genre
of
films
in
70s
and
it
was
the
last
film
of
Raj
in
this
genre.
The
film
was
mainly
shot
in
Nepal.
Manjula
and
Padmapriya
were
the
female
leads
in
the
movie.