From Chiranjeevi Sarja to Bullet Prakash - Kannada Actors who sadly passed away in 2020

Much has been said about the year 2020 and the despair it has brought into the lives of people all around the world. The year played itself out in the weirdest of ways and although many took the increasing abnormality in their stride, certain incidents still couldn't be brushed off very easily. Along with the devastating pandemic, the Kannada Film Industry was subjected to further loss as some of the very talented and iconic actors passed away during the course of the year. ETimes recognizes the spirit of these individuals and remembers them for their incredible contributions to the world of cinema.

Veteran actor Kishori Ballal became a known name in Indian households for her role as Kaveriamma in the Bollywood film 'Swades'. On the other hand, Kishori Ballal had acted in over 75 films including a number of Kannada films. Hailing from Karnataka, she was married to Bharatanatyam dancer N Sripathi Ballal. However, the actor passed away on the 18th of February of this year due to age-related ailments in a private hospital. She was last seen in the Kannada film 'Kahi'.

There was a time when Bullet Prakash featured in every Kannada film. As a character actor who mostly did comedic roles, Prakash was capable of lifting any ordinary film and eventually make it a worthwhile watch. Having acted in over 75 films, Bullet Prakash succumbed to persisting Kidney and Liver complications and sadly passed away on the 31st of March, 2020. Interestingly, he earned the 'Bullet' title to his name for being often seen riding a Royal Enfield motorcycle.

Michael Madhu was a very talented actor/comedian who was part of more than 300 films in a career that spanned almost over three decades. Many would remember him in films like 'Om', 'Shhh!', 'AK 47', and even the latest 'French Biriyani' as the don Powder Charles. Michael Madhu was very popular for his physical style of comedy and his expressions often left the audiences in splits.

It would be quite redundant to emphasize the pain that Chiranjeevi Sarja's death has caused many Kannada Cinema fans. He was in the prime of both his professional and personal lives and was on course to becoming one of the sought-after leading men in the industry. His untimely demise, caused by breathlessness and other issues, has left everyone speechless - especially his immediate who never saw that coming. Today, Chiru Sarja is survived by his wife and fellow actor, Meghana Raj, their 2 month old son who was born after his demise, his younger brother and actor Dhruva Sarja, and his two beloved parents.

Shanthamma was an actor whose career spanned over six decades and included credited roles in over 400 films. Having begun her career with the film 'Hari Bhakta' in the year 1956, Shantamma went on to act in Hindi and Tamil films and was also a prominent theatre artist alongside. However, as fate would have it, in spite of a strong career in films, Shanthamma went through a financial lean patch and at one point, had to resort to seeking help from the Karnataka government for the medical treatment of her children. Unfortunately, the veteran actress passed away on the 20th of July, 2020 due to age-related health concerns in a private hospital in Mysuru. She was 95.

Rockline Sudhakar was a very recognizable face who had appeared in many films of the last decade, usually playing the comedic part in most of them. He can be recalled as the nagging blind man in Yogaraj Bhat's 'Pancharangi' and also for his roles in films like 'Tagaru' and 'Popcorn Monkey Tiger'. Unfortunately, the talented actor passed away due to a cardiac arrest on September 24th, 2020. While shooting for the film 'Sugarless', Rockline Sudhakar collapsed during the make-up session and was rushed to a hospital nearby but to no avail.

Having started his acting career on the small screen, Siddharaj Kalyankar was a highly familiar face who had acted in over 70 films. Hailing from Hubballi, Siddharaj began his film career with 'Yaare Nee Abhimani' and soon began to juggle between TV and film roles. However, the veteran actor breathed his last at the age of 60 and passed away because of a cardiac arrest in September, 2020.

Veteran theatre personality and a reputed artist in many circles, Kodaganur Jayakumar was an actor who had dedicated his entire life to the arts. He was part of the theatre scene for more than 45 years - including the plays directed by stalwarts such as P B Duttaragi, R D Kamat, and others. Alongside, Kodaganur Jayakumar acted in several feature films that include films like 'Janumada Jodi', 'Sri Ragvendra Vaibhava', and 'Sri Kaala Bairava Mahathme'. Known as Junior Rajkumar for his strong resemblance with the legend, Kodaganur Jayakumar sadly passed away due to a cardiac arrest on the 6th of October, 2020.