Had it not been for his unexpected and heartbreaking death in October 2021, Puneeth Rajkumar, known as the Power Star of Kannada cinema, would be celebrating his 50th birthday this year. For his loved ones, Puneeth's spirit continues to shine, and they honor his legacy by re-releasing his popular films each year. Since 2024, Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar has been reintroducing their family’s productions to fans, kicking off with Jackie. Now, it’s time for Appu, the film that showcased Puneeth’s evolution from a child star to a leading actor.

The 2002 movie was both written and directed by Puri Jagannadh, a Telugu filmmaker who made his debut in Kannada cinema just a year earlier with the sports drama Yuvaraja, featuring Shivarajkumar in the lead role. Puri got the chance to direct Puneeth’s first film as a hero thanks to Shivarajkumar. The Hattrick Hero connected Puri with his father, the legendary Dr. Rajkumar, who was producing Puneeth’s debut film under their banner, Poornima Enterprises, led by Parvathamma Rajkumar.

Puri Jagannadh: It was Shivanna who first introduced me to Dr. Rajkumar

Puri expressed his gratitude towards Shivanna, saying, "I owe a big thanks to Shivanna; he’s the reason the Appu movie came to life. He introduced me to the legendary Dr. Rajkumar and Parvathamma, which led me to meet the wonderful Puneeth Rajkumar. He was incredibly talented and truly a treasure of Kannada cinema." This was shared in a special video message ahead of the Appu re-release.

Appu is set to hit theaters again on March 14, 2025, just a few days before his birthday on March 17. This re-release is extra special as it also falls on Ashwini’s birthday. The film was notable for introducing actress Rakshita and features popular tracks by Gurukiran, including two songs performed by Dr. Rajkumar. Appu was remade in four different languages and enjoyed a successful 200-day run in cinemas. It was distributed by Sri Vajreshwari Combines, a company established by Parvathamma Rajkumar, who produced nine films starring Puneeth as the lead.

If you're a fan of Doddmane, you can catch all the classics of Dr. Rajkumar, along with the biggest hits of Shivarajkumar and Puneeth Rajkumar, on OTTplay Premium.

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