Obituary: Raj Kumar

Raj Kumar

Raj Kumar, a one-time child actor who became one of south India's most beloved movie stars, has died aged 77.


Kumar, whose name was also spelled Rajkumar, appeared in more than 200 Kannada-language films over five decades, becoming one of the most famous faces in south India, with millions of fiercely devoted fans.


He largely gave up acting in the mid 1990s and turned to producing. He shot to prominence again in 2000, when he was kidnapped by Veerappan, a famed bandit who had spent decades eluding police in the forests of south India.


Kumar was freed by Veerappan after spending 109 days living in the forests with his gang.


Kumar won more than 20 national and state awards for his contributions to Indian cinema. Fans were known to worship his image and pray that his films would be successful.