Puneeth Rajkumar’s last film Gandha Gudi to release on his death anniversary, wife Ashwini calls it ‘his gift of love’

Late actor Puneeth Rajkumar's final film Gandha Gudi will hit the screens in October, a day before the actor's first death anniversary.

Almost a year after his untimely death, Kannada actor Puneeth Rajkumar’s final film will release in theatres. Gandha Gudi, in which Puneeth will appear as himself, will hit the screens on October 28, the late actor’s wife Ashwini announced on Twitter on Friday. Puneeth Rajkumar, popularly known as Appu, was one of the most popular actors of Kannada cinema. He died last October at the age of 46 after a cardiac arrest.

Puneeth Rajkumar died last year at the age of 46.

Sharing the news of the film’s release, Ashwini took to Twitter and shared a poster of the film, which showed the silhouette of Puneeth and filmmaker and wildlife photographer Amoghavarsha. She wrote in Kannada, “Appu's last film. A unique story in which he appeared on his own. A journey to explore the wonderful world of Karnataka. His gift of love to Nadi who gave him immense love.” In a subsequent tweet, Ashwini added in English, “Appu’s last film where he explores Karnataka’s forests as himself as a tribute to the land that showered immense love on him. In theatres on 28 October 2022.”

Born to legendary actor Dr Rajkumar, Puneeth made his debut at just six months of age in the 1976 thriller Premada Kanike. He continued to work as a child artiste through the 1970s and 80s, often working in films starring his father. In 1994, he began working in his family’s production house.

It was in 2002 that he made his debut as a lead actor with the film Appu, which gave him his famous nickname. Over the next two decades, many of his films scored big at the box office, establishing him as one of the most bankable actors in the Kannada film industry. James, which released months after his death, emerged as his most successful film and remains the third-highest-grossing Kannada film ever.