Bommai unveils Kannada actor Vishnuvardhan’s memorial

The memorial was constructed at an estimated cost of ₹11 crores and has an auditorium, a statue of the actor, a canteen, a gallery and other facilities

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraja Bommai unveiled Kannada actor Dr Vishnuvardhan’s memorial at Halalu village on H D Kote road on the outskirts of Mysuru on Sunday.

Vishnuvardhan, who has acted in more than 200 films, has fans across the state. (HT)

The popular Kannada film actor passed away on December 30, 2009. After 13 years of his demise, the memorial has come up in Mysuru, the native of the actor. Vishnuvardhan, who has acted in more than 200 films, has fans across the state.

After the actor’s demise, his fans and family members pressed the state government to construct a memorial at Abhiman studio on Uttaralli road in Bengaluru, where the actor was cremated. But owing to land litigation, the state government headed by former chief minister Siddaramaiah finalised three acres of land at Halalu village in 2016. The construction was delayed as farmers opposed the memorial and appealed to the court. The Mysuru court dismissed the appeal, and the then chief minister B S Yeddyurappa laid the foundation stone for the memorial on September 15, 2020.

The memorial was constructed at an estimated cost of ₹11 crores and has an auditorium, a statue of the actor, a canteen, a gallery and other facilities. The auditorium has the facility to stage plays and exhibit cinemas as well.

“Even after a long wait of 13 years, the inaugural ceremony of the memorial was not held properly,” Dr Vishnu Sena Samithi state unit president V Srinivas told HT.

The Vishnu statue was constructed in 10 days by a team of four under the leadership of famous sculptor Arun Yogiraj, a native of Mysuru. The 6-foot-tall statue costs ₹11 lakhs, and seven tons of Krishnastone has been used for its construction. After the carving, the statue weighs 1.5 tons.

“This statue has the power to withstand fire, acid, wind, sun and water. We have carved the statue of Vishnu in ten days,” sculptor Arun Yogiraj told HT. “It is a very happy event for the Kannada people. I am a fan of Dr Vishnuvardhan. I am very happy,” Yogiraj added.

Thousands of Vishnu fans from Bengaluru thronged Halalu village on Sunday for the inauguration. The fans also sloganeered to bestow the Karnataka Ratna award on Vishnuvardhan.