Kannada actor Rajkumar passes away

Legendary Kannada actor Rajkumar has passed away in Bangalore. The 77-year-old actor died of a cardiac arrest.

He had been unwell for the past few days.

Doctors pronounced him dead after he was brought to Bangalore's M S Ramaiah hospital. He is survived by three sons and a daughter.

Rajkumar had received the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke award for his contribution to the Kannada film industry.

Illustrious career

He entered the film industry at the age of eight years and got his first break as a hero in the film Bedara Kannappa in 1954.

Thereafter, he went on to work in over 220 films and became a household name in the Kannada-speaking world.

Some of his most popular films include Bedara Kannapa, Halu Jenu and Akasmika.

Meanwhile in Bangalore, grief has turned into anger as Rajkumar's fans set cars on fire and pelted stones at buses.

Amid reports of rising tension, the police are doing their best to maintain order with thousands of fans gathering outside the actor's residence.

Rajkumar hit the headlines six years ago when he was kept hostage by slain sandalwood smuggler Veerappan. He was held in the forests for more than 100 days.