Shiva Rajkumar is an Indian actor, producer and playback singer, primarily seen in the Kannada entertainment industry. He is famous for his role as Shiva in the Kannada film Shivalinga.
Wiki/Biography
Nagaraju Shiva Puttaswamy was born on 12 July 1962 in Madras (now Chennai) (age 61; as of 2023). His zodiac sign is Cancer. He attended a school in T. Nagar, Chennai. Soon after completing his studies, he pursued a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from New College, Chennai. Later, he studied at MGR Government Film and Television Training Institute, Chennai. Shiva has loved acting since he was a child and started his acting career at the age of twelve.
Childhood photos of Shiva Rajkumar
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′8″
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
family
Parents and siblings
Shiva Rajkumar’s father Dr. Rajkumar is a Padma Bhushan and Dada Saheb Phalke Award recipient and a famous actor and playback singer in Kannada cinema. Dr. Rajkumar passed away due to cardiac arrest on April 12, 2006. Shiva’s mother Parvasama is a film distributor and producer at Kannada Cinema. She died of multiple organ failure on May 31, 2017.
Shiva Rajkumar (centre) with parents and siblings
Shiva is the eldest of his four siblings: Raghavendra Rajkumar, Puneeth Rajkumar, Lakshmi and Poornima.
Shiva Rajkumar and his sisters
Puneeth Rajkumar is a famous actor. Puneeth passed away due to cardiac arrest on October 29, 2021. Shiva’s youngest brother Raghavendra Rajkumar is also an actor in Kannada cinema. Shiva spoke about the death of his brother Puneeth Rajkumar in an interview and said;
Needless to say, I was still in denial, just like the rest of the family. Sometimes I feel like life is so uncertain and try to accept the truth; sometimes I refuse to believe that this has happened and feel like he is still around and calls me “Sivana”. Frankly, I don’t even know how I make it through these days. But what should I do when there is an image of my Apu wearing a garland looking down at me from every corner? I just turned my head and refused to look at the pictures. I know death is inevitable and one day all our images will be similarly placed. But somewhere, somewhere inside, I refused to accept that it was the image of my brother that was placed there. “
Shiva Rajkumar (centre) at the funeral of his brother Puneeth Rajkumar
wife and children
On May 19, 1986, Shiva Rajkumar married Geetha, the daughter of former Karnataka Chief Minister Sarekoppa Bangarappa.
Shiva Rajkumar and Geetha Shivarajkumar
The couple has two daughters, Nirupama, a doctor and Niveditha, a film producer.
From left: Shiva Rajkumar, his youngest daughter Niveditha, wife Geetha and eldest daughter Nirupama
Relationships/Affairs
In a 2011 interview, Kannada actor Darshan reportedly accused Shiva Rajkumar of having multiple extramarital affairs. Darshan said,
Everyone in the film industry, including Shivaraj Kumar, had multiple affairs. ”
religion
Shiva Rajkumar believes in Hinduism.
Community
Shiva Rajkumar belongs to Ediga community.
Profession
actor
In 1974, Shiva Rajkumar made his debut as a child actor in the Kannada Hindu mythological film Sri Srinivasa Kalyana (1974), playing the role of Guru Puttaswamy.
Poster of Kannada film Sri Srinivasa Kalyana (1974)
In 1986, after completing an acting course at MGR Government Film and Television Training Institute, Chennai, Shiva made his film debut as an actor in the Kannada film Anand, in which he played the titular character; the film was directed by his mother Produced by Dr. Parvathamma Rajkumar.
Shivaraj Kumar as Anand in a still from the Kannada film Anand (1986)
Later, in the late 1980s, Shiva appeared in many Kannada films such as Manamecchida Hudugi (1987), Shiva Mecchida Kannappa (1988) and Ade Raaga Ade Haadu (1989). Between 1990 and 2000, Shiva acted in more than 50 Kannada films. He played lead roles in films such as Aralida Hoovugalu (1991), Mavanige Thakka Aliya (1992), Gandhida Gudi Part 2 (1994), Nammoora Mandara Hoove (1996), Bhoomi Thayiya Chochchala Maga (1998) and Yare Nee Abhimani (2000).
Poster of Kannada film Mavanige Thakka Aliya (1992)
In 2010, Shiva played the role of the same name in the Kannada film “Sugreeva”, which was directed by ten directors and took 18 hours to shoot. In 2022, he served as a producer and actor in the movie “Vedha”, in which he played the role of the same name. Later, in 2023, Shiva appeared in the Kannada film Kabzaa, playing the role of Siddhantha.
Poster of Kannada movie Kabzaa (2023)
playback singer
Apart from being an actor, Shiva Rajkumar is also a playback singer. He made his acting debut in 1988 with the Kannada song “O Meghave” from the film Ranalanga.
Album of the Kannada song “O Meghave” from the film Ranalanga (1988)
He has lent his voice to many Kannada songs such as “Thandana Thandana” and “Bombato Bombato” in the film Aasegobba Meesegobba (1990), “Andaman Andaman” in the film Andaman (1998), “Hayya Hayya” Veerappan in the film Killing (2016) and “Pushpa Pushpa” in the movie Vedha (2022).
dispute
Protest against dubbed movies
In 2014, Shiva Rajkumar along with Darshan, Sudeep, Puneeth Rajkumar, Ravichandran, Duniya Vijaya and Jaggesh opposed the proposal to introduce dubbed films in Kannada theatres. In an interview, Rajkumar discussed the matter and asked Madras to stop releasing dubbed films in the Kannada film industry to allow the industry to grow. At the same meeting, Shiva said,
I have a very positive attitude towards life. It’s important to know what we can do for society, not the other way around. I was born and brought up in Chennai. We should learn Tamil in school. I still speak in Tamil to my close friends there. We went there because the entire film industry depends on Chennai for post-production. No language bias. Screening of Kannada films for local Kannadigas. Even during the Ooty incident, things were resolved with the help of MGR and Ramakrishna Hegde. We should be friendly to everyone. But mother tongue comes first. Why dub movies when movies in all languages are released here? That’s my grouse. I watch all language movies and am the first to praise the director or the actors. Dubbing should be avoided as we can remake anything here. The best example is Kannadadha Kotiyadhipathi. Puneeth’s version is very popular. My point is that if you remake it instead of dubbing it, a lot of locals will find work. “
However, in 2018, when the Supreme Court gave its final verdict on Karnataka’s ban on dubbed films, he said he no longer opposed dubbing.
Awards, Honors, Achievements
Karnataka State Award
- 1995-96: Won the Best Actor Award for the film “Om” (1995)
- 1999-2000: Best Actor Award for the movie “Hrudaya Hrudaya” (1999)
- 2003-04: Won the Best Actor Award for the film Chigurida Kanasu (2003)
- 2005–06: Best Actor Award for the film “Jogi” (2005)
Film Audience Award
- 1995: Won the Best Actor Award for the movie “Om” (1995)
- 1996: Won the Best Actor Award for the film “Nammoora Mandara Hoove” (1996)
- 1999: Won the Best Actor Award for the movie “AK47” (1999)
- 2010: Best Actor Award for the movie “Thamassu” (2010)
NTR National Award
- 2011: In recognition of his lifetime achievements and contribution to Indian cinema
honorary award
- 2012: SIIMA Social Responsibility Award
- 2014: Received an honorary doctorate from Vijayanagara Krishnadevaraya University, Bellary
salary
According to sources, Shiva Rajkumar charges Rs 3-4 crore per film.
Facts/Trivia
- In 2016, Shiva Rajkumar suffered a mild heart attack while exercising at the gym. Dr. VK Srinivas, the cardiologist in charge of Shiva’s treatment at Vital Mallya Hospital in Karnataka, said about this:
Because his heartbeat was fluctuating, an angiogram was performed. The surgery only took ten minutes and he is in stable condition and doing well. He will remain in hospital for three more days of observation before being discharged. “
- Shiva Rajkumar said in an interview that actor-politician Rajinikanth has known him since childhood and has a good relationship with him. Shiva said,
This is a great opportunity for anyone to work with Rajinikanth and I am happy that this project has made it possible for me. He has known me since he was a child and I have a special bond with him. “
- He follows a non-vegetarian diet.
- Shiva Rajkumar’s 100th film was Joggaya (2011), written and directed by Prem. Shiva was nominated for the SIIMA Award for Best Actor for the film Joggaya (2011).
Shiva Rajkumar as Mahadeva in a still from the Kannada film Joggaya (2011)
- According to sources, in 2021, Raikumar and four other Karnataka residents, including journalist and politician BT Lalitha Naik, received death threats; Lalitha said she was at an event in Bengaluru received this threatening letter.
- Rajkumar is fondly called ‘Shivanna’ by his fans and family.
- Shiva Rajkumar in an interview talked about his favorite actor Kamal Hassan and said that if he had been a girl, he would have married him.
- Being an animal lover, Shiva Rajkumar often posts pictures of different animals on his social media handles. In October 2020, Shiva adopted a female elephant named Parvati.
Shiva Rajkumar and his adopted female elephant Parvathi
- Shiva Rajkumar has been a cricket enthusiast since his childhood and in 2018, he became the official ambassador for Vivo IPL Season 11 telecast in Kannada on Star Suvarna Plus channel. Shiva Rajkumar talked about this in an interview and said:
I have always been a cricket enthusiast and have loved playing and watching cricket since childhood. IPL is one of the tournaments that I look forward to every year. I’m looking forward to watching the best of cricket in my native language for the first time. “
- In 2023, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar invited Shiva Rajkumar to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections; however, he declined. Rajkumar said he only wanted to be an actor and that neither his wife nor brother-in-law, Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa, encouraged him to enter politics. Shiva Rajkumar said in an interview,
My father’s gift to me is to wear color, perform and impress you all. This is where my line ends. I will stay with you and take action. There are people who specialize in politics and do their jobs well. “
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education