Rajkumar

Singanalluru Puttaswamaiah Muthuraj, better known by his stage name Rajkumar or Dr. Rajkumar, was an Indian film actor and playback singer in the Kannada cinema. Widely acclaimed as one of the greatest actors in the history of Indian cinema and a versatile actor, he is considered a cultural icon and holds a matinée idol status in the Kannada diaspora, among whom he is popularly adulated as Nata Saarvabhouma, Bangarada Manushya, Vara Nata, Gaana Gandharva, Rasikara Raja and Rajanna / Annavru. He was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 1983 and also received several national and state awards. He is the only lead actor to win National Award for singing. His films have been remade more than 50 times in various languages—33 movies have been remade 55 times in 7 languages. On the Centenary of Indian cinema in April 2013, Forbes included Rajkumar's performance in the film Bangaarada Manushya on its list of 25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema. Upon his death, The New York Times had described him as one of India's most popular movie stars.