SK Bhagavan, veteran Kannada filmmaker passes away at 89

Popular Kannada veteran director SK Bhagavan passed away at the age of 89. He took his last breath on Monday, February 20, in Bengaluru due to an age-related illness. His mortal is currently kept for homage at his residence in Bengaluru. More details of his demise are awaited. 

Several celebs from the Kannada film industry paid respects to SK Bhagavan and offered condolences. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai also mourned his death and offered condolences to his family.

The filmmaker directed several cult films with Dorai Raj and emerged as a force to reckon with. The duo were popularly known as Dorai-Bhagawan. The duo has directed twenty-seven films together, most of which starred Rajkumar and were highly successful at the box office.

SK Bhagavan started his film career as an assistant to Kanagal Prabhakar Shastri in 1956 through the film Bhagyodaya. He then went on to direct his debut movie Sandhya Raga in 1966 and rose to fame after he Dorai Raj. He co-directed the blockbuster film  Jedara Bale in 1968, with Dorai Raj under the name Dorai–Bhagavan. After that, they become the first directors to make James Bond-style movies in Kannada.

The duo then directed movies like Kasturi Nivasa, Eradu Kanasu, Bayaludaari, Gaalimaatu, Chandanada Gombe, Hosa Belaku, Benkiya Bale, Jeevana Chaitra and more.

After Doorai Raj's death, he took a long break from the direction.  His last film with Doorai was 'Baalondu Chaduranga' in 1996. After more than 10 years, in 2019, he made his comeback at the age of 85 with Aduva Gombe, which marks the 50th film of his direction.

Here's a pic of SK Bhagavan with superstar Rajkumar

ALSO READ: Kollywood Comedian Mayilsamy passes away at 57; Kamal Haasan and others offer condolences