Words probably fall short to describe the impact of
Puneeth Rajkumar's sudden and tragic death on the public. For an actor who lived a disciplined lifestyle and held high fitness standards, it seems inconceivable to many that he would succumb to a fatal cardiac arrest that he encountered without any forewarning. And considering that only a few hours before he was up in spirits celebrating life with his dearest friends from the industry, it is certainly heart-wrenching to come to terms with how things ultimately fared.
As many would already be aware, Puneeth Rajkumar was present at music composer Gurukiran's birthday bash on the 28th of October and as evidenced by the video that's now gone viral, he can be seen in his element, singing lovely Kannada tunes with his industry buddies. Indeed, as
Gurukiran himself would state a few hours later, it is truly incomprehensible that the superstar actor would depart forever, leaving everyone around frazzled and sad.
In the video, you can see Puneeth Rajkumar at his jolly best singing a song for
Sumalatha Ambareesh
as a chirpy
Goldenstar Ganesh
would join in to sing along and then also lure a coy
Upendra into the mix. The man of the moment, however, was Puneeth Rajkumar himself who sure seemed to have lit up the party with his charm and beaming smile.
Only a few hours later, Puneeth would be rushed to a hospital due to chest pains but ultimately succumb to a heart attack around 2:30 pm in the afternoon of Friday, the 29th of October. The news would send terrible shock waves across the whole nation and cause distress all over.
Puneeth
Rajkumar's mortal remains were later brought to the Kantheerava Stadium in the evening so as to allow his fans and well-wishers for one last visit and pay respects to their beloved star. Puneeth Rajkumar's last rites will be held on Sunday, 31st of October, next to the memorial of his late father and matinee idol, Dr. Rajkumar.