My Dad called me with the news at 3PM. My first thought was:Oh,god! My brother has gone to get the drycleaning!

Today,at 2P.M,the Kannada film industry lost a jewel. Dr.Rajkumar was an exceptional actor,an amazing singer,a superstar, a great person. His presence will be missed sorely.

He was 77, suffereing from heart ailments.His demise,though saddening,was not wholly unexpected.He was reported to be ill this month. So,I don't see how any true fan of his can mourn his death by burning buses? Its ridiculous,and certainly not what "Annavru" would have wanted. I can't explain this, but when my dad said "Dr.Rajkumar passed away",I immediately thought of riots, and the incident that happened at our locality 8 years ago,when the mob burnt aroung 5 cars belonging to the residents of the flats where we lived..

As I was watching his "Shraddhanjali"(tribute) on TV,I was finding it difficult to believe that he was no more. In my opinion,there are few actors in the Kannada film industry who are worth a second look...Dr.Raj was a person whose mere presence in a film could bring in the crowds.I pay my tribute to him by putting up this song from the film "Akasmika".I was so impressed by it that I once had learned it by heart.