Puri Jagannadh pays tribute to Puneeth Rajkumar as ‘Appu’ gears up for grand re-release

Honoring Puneeth Rajkumar’s 50th birth anniversary, his debut film as a lead actor, ‘Appu’, is set for a grand re-release across Karnataka on March 14, 2025.

Filmmaker Puri Jagannadh, who helmed ‘Appu’, took to X (formerly Twitter) to reminisce about his association with Puneeth and his family. He credited Puneeth’s elder brother, Shiva Rajkumar, for making the project possible, stating, “I should thank Shivanna, because of him, Appu happened. Shivanna introduced me to the great Rajkumar and Parvathamma. That is how I met the beautiful soul, Puneeth Rajkumar.”

Puri further hailed Puneeth as a “multi-talented guy, a gem of Kannada cinema” and praised his dedication to social causes.
“Appu Movie re-releasing on March 14th. All over Karnataka. Let’s watch Appu movie again and celebrate the great person, the great soul,” Puri Jagannadh concluded.
Originally released on April 26, 2002, ‘Appu’ was a box office sensation, running for over 200 days. Puneeth’s portrayal of the titular character made him an instant star, and the name Appu became synonymous with him across Karnataka. The film also marked the debut of actress Rakshitha. Directed by Puri Jagannadh, the 2002 college romance was a massive hit and played a crucial role in soaring Puneeth’s legacy in Kannada cinema.
Puneeth Rajkumar, the youngest son of Kannada legend Dr. Rajkumar, passed away on October 29, 2021, at the age of 46 due to cardiac arrest. His last outing was the fantasy film ‘Lucky Man’, directed by Nagendra Prasad and starring Darling Krishna and Sangeetha Sringeri in the lead roles. One of his final films also included the action thriller ‘James’, directed by Chethan Kumar.