Puneetha Parva: Amitabh Bachchan's Speech On Appu & Gandhagudi At The Film's Pre-Release Event

Amitabh Bachchan spoke about Puneeth Rajkumar, whom he personally knew well, and expressed his pain in the loss of such a kind and sweet person. The senior actor recollects the fond memories he had with Dr. Rajkumar, Appu, and the whole family. His speech was pre-recorded for the event and was played on stage for the audience to see. Here is what he spoke about Appu and his last film Gandhadagudi.

"I'm here to talk about Puneeth Rajkumar. Puneeth, whom we all very lovingly called Appu. It's very difficult to talk about Appu in the past tense. But we lost him at a very young age. And, I have no words to describe the kind of personal loss when I heard the news about Puneeth. It was an extremely sad moment and something that is still not believable by me. Dr. Rajkumar, the legendary Dr. Rajkumar was a very dear friend of the family. He and his entire family, me, and my family with a lot of respect and treated me with a lot of dignity. They personally prayed for me when I was down with my accident in 1982. These are aspects of the family I can never forget. and at the same time, I can never forget the presence of Appu in the family.

I met him first when he was a little kid. The one thing that was so attractive about him was he was always smiling. Every time you met him, he had the most endearing smile on his face. And that is what I believe kept him close to all of us, and to his legendary fan following. As I said, it's very difficult to talk about Appu in the past tense. But we have lost him and this is indeed a very sad moment.

Appu's last film GG or Gandhadagudi is his legacy where he plays himself exploring nature, diverse forests, and rich wildlife. So come, and take part in this epic magical journey with Appu. And be a part of his awe-inspiring experiences where he explores our land. It's a movie for our children and our people to take pride in. To take pride in it and to celebrate our rich natural heritage. I wish this film all the very best and to all the legendary followers of not just Dr. Rajkumar, but also Puneeth, whom we all lovingly called Appu, all the very best!"