Siddaramaiah asks govt to make Puneeth Rajkumar's 'James' tax-free

Former CM Siddaramaiah has demanded the state government to make Puneeth Rajkumar's last movie James tax-free in Karnataka

Updated on: Mar 18, 2022, 10:12:28 IST

By Yamini C S

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Congress leader Siddaramaiah has demanded a full tax exemption for late Kannada actor Puneeth Rajkumar's last movie James in Karnataka.

Congress leader Siddaramaiah demanded Puneeth Rajkumar's latest movie 'James' to be tax-free in K'taka

James is an action thriller film directed by Chethan Kumar. Puneeth's posthumous appearance in the movie has caused a flutter, with fans flocking to the theatres to watch him one last time on the big screen.

Fans celebrated the movie with loud cheers and confetti. Sentiments ran high on the birth anniversary of the actor, who passed away in October last year after suffering from a sudden heart attack. Puneeth Rajkumar's untimely death, at age 46, left fans shocked.

The members of the Rajavamsha fan association said they will distribute free food to the public from March 17 to March 20 in celebration of Puneeth's last movie.

Speaking at a press gathering, Siddaramaiah asked the public to watch the movie, which moved audiences and fans to tears in remembrance of their beloved Power Star 'Appu' and make it a success.

Many celebrities took to twitter to share messages and wishes on the birth anniversary of the popular Kannada actor. “The smile that never fades, The warmth which can never be matched, An Energy which can never be stopped, A Power which can never be taken away.. He lives on. Happy Birthday Appu sir,” KGF star Yash wrote.

The opposition leader told the press that James should be tax-free and that he will appeal to the government for the same. Siddaramaiah had previously demanded that Puneeth be awarded a Padma award for his services to the state in the field of acting and singing.

“I will write to Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai on this. Bommai has a love for Puneeth. Puneeth should be awarded the Padma Shri for his work. I insisted on this long back,” he said.

Siddaramaiah wished for Puneeth's soul to rest in peace. When asked if he will go to the movie he said, “I don't usually go to the theatre to watch movies. I will watch the movie when it is aired on TV.”

He said he had gone to the theatre to watch Puneeth's Rajakumara.

Fans of Puneeth Rajkumar reportedly kept the seat 17 empty in many theatres during the first showings, as Puneeth is said to watch his movies from that seat.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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