Parvathamma Rajkumar

Parvathamma Rajkumar
Born
Parvathamma

(1939-12-06)6 December 1939
Saligrama, Kingdom of Mysore, British India
Died31 May 2017(2017-05-31) (aged 77)[1]
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1953; died 2006)​
Children5 (including Shiva, Raghavendra, Puneeth)
RelativesSee Rajkumar family

Parvathamma Rajkumar (6 December 1939 – 31 May 2017) was an Indian film producer and distributor. She was the wife and cousin of veteran Kannada actor Dr. Rajkumar. She produced successful films featuring him and their sons Shiva Rajkumar, Puneeth Rajkumar and Raghavendra Rajkumar under the production house named "Poornima Enterprises". Actresses who found fame in her productions include Malashri, Prema, Rakshita, Sudha Rani and Ramya.[2][3] She was awarded a doctorate by Bangalore University.[4]

Amongst the awards she has received are the Kannada Rajyotsava and a lifetime achievement award from the Government of Karnataka.[5] By 2012, she had produced 80 films. She has spoken in defence of Kannadigas, regarding Karnataka's position in interstate water disputes and against infringement of the Kannada film industry's works.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]

Early life and family

Parvathamma was born in Saligrama of Mysore district of the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore on 6 December 1939 to Appaji Gowda and Lakshmamma, as the second of eight children. Singanallur Puttaswamaiah, her uncle and future father-in-law, reportedly placed a silver coin in her cradle and vowed to make her his daughter-in-law. Aged 14, she married his son, her cousin, the future matinée idol Rajkumar on 25 June 1953.[3] They have five children together: sons Shiva, Raghavendra and Puneeth, and daughters Lakshmi and Poornima. Rajkumar died on 12 April 2006 and their son Puneeth died on 29 October 2021, both from cardiac arrest.

From (L to R) Ravi Srivatsa, Shiva Rajkumar, Parvathamma Rajkumar, Puneeth Rajkumar, Raghavendra Rajkumar

Parvathamma was taken to MS Ramaiah Memorial Hospital on 14 May 2017 to treat her for weakness. On 17 May, she was shifted to the intensive care unit after she had difficulty in breathing and was on assisted ventilation, following which a tracheotomy was performed on her to ease breathing.[14] Also, she had developed metastasis despite having been treated for a malignancy a few years previously.[15] She had a cardiac arrest at 4:30 a.m. (IST) on 31 May 2017. Efforts to revive her failed and she was pronounced dead at 4:40 a.m. (IST).[16] It was reported that "malignancy had spread to the lungs and liver".[1]

Film career

She established a family firm for film production called Sri Vajreshwari Combines or Poornima enterprises. The first movie she produced was Trimurthi with her husband in a lead role; Trimurthi was a great success.[3] Her brothers S.A. Chinne Gowda, S.A. Govindaraj, and S.A. Srinivas are also film producers.[citation needed]

She has produced over 80 films and launched her three sons as film stars. Her most successful films with her husband in a lead role include Trimurthy, Haalu Jenu, Kaviratna Kalidasa and Jeevana Chaitra. She produced Anand, Om, Janumada Jodi and several other movies with her oldest son Shiv Rajkumar in lead role. Her son Raghavendra Rajkumar played the lead in Chiranjeevi Sudhakar, Nanjundi Kalyana, Swasthik and Tuvvi Tuvvi Tuvvi. Her youngest son Puneeth starred in Appu, Abhi and Hudugaru.[17]

Filmography

Rajkumar in lead role

Shiva Rajkumar in lead role

Raghavendra Rajkumar in lead role

  1. Chiranjeevi Sudhakar
  2. Nanjundi Kalyana
  3. Gajapathi Garvabhanga
  4. Geluvina Saradara
  5. Soothradara
  6. Anukoolakkobba Ganda
  7. Aralidha Hoogalu
  8. Kalyana Mantapa
  9. Barjari Gandu
  10. Anuragada Alegalu
  11. Navibbaru Namagibbaru
  12. Swasthik
  13. Tuvvi Tuvvi Tuvvi

Puneeth Rajkumar in lead role

Vinay Rajkumar in lead role

Awards

Karnataka State Film Awards
Filmfare Awards South

Notes

  1. ^ a b Yasmeen, Afshan (31 May 2017). "Kannada film producer Parvathamma Rajkumar passes away". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  2. ^ "Rajkumar's legacy". rediff.com. 17 April 2006. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  3. ^ a b c Ganesh, Deepa (24 December 2010). "Love is life". The Hindu. thehindu.com. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  4. ^ "Doctorate". YouTube.com. Archived from the original on 10 August 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Award in Vishnu's name". deccanherald.com. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2012. Parvathamma Rajkumar was honoured with Lifetime Achievement award.
  6. ^ "Parvathamma Rajkumar joins protests in Mysore". The Hindu. 6 March 2007. Archived from the original on 13 March 2007. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  7. ^ "Parvathamma Rajkumar against stopping film production". jaldi.walletwatch.com. 3 October 2006. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  8. ^ "Our family will never enter politics: Parvathamma Rajkumar". The Times of India. 7 October 2003. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  9. ^ "Launched amidst much fanfare – The music launch of 'Jackie' was attended by many popular Sandalwood actors". deccanherald.com. 24 August 2010. Archived from the original on 30 August 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  10. ^ "Relish home cuisine – The Karnataka Festival will showcase the culture, art, heritage and food of the State". deccanherald.com. 6 June 2009. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  11. ^ "Parvathamma Rajkumar leads Padayatra". annavaru.com. 5 March 2007. Archived from the original on 16 February 2024. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  12. ^ Ganesh, Deepa (2 June 2017). "She grew from strength to strength". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  13. ^ Khajane, Muralidhara (3 June 2017). "Parvathamma: The pillar behind the iconic star". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020.
  14. ^ "Parvathamma Rajkumar, wife of late Kannada actor Rajkumar, dies". The Times of India. 31 May 2017. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  15. ^ "Parvathamma Rajkumar put on assisted ventilation". The Hindu. 18 May 2017. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  16. ^ "Parvathamma Rajkumar dead, wife of late actor Rajkumar was 77". The Indian Express. 31 May 2017. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  17. ^ "The 'Real and Reel' Force Behind Annavaru, Parvathamma Rajkumar No More". 31 May 2017. Archived from the original on 1 June 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  18. ^ "Governor of Karnataka Rameshwar Thakur giving the prestigious Rajyotsava Award to Parvathamma Rajkumar for her contribution to Kannad films, at Ravindra Kalakshetra in Bangalore on November 3, 2007". timescontent.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  19. ^ "Suvarna Awards: Winners announced". in.movies.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2012. Special Awards – Contribution to Kannada Cinema: Smt. Parvathamma Rajkumar
  20. ^ "'Gulabi Talkies' is first best film". The Hindu. 12 January 2009. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2017.