UDUPI: The winner of a Kannada reality show and Kannada and Tulu film actor Rakesh Poojary (34) died after collapsing at a friend’s mehendi event in Miyar, Karkala, on Monday.
In a complaint, Rakshith, from Tonse, Udupi, stated that Poojary had been suffering from thyroid issues for the past 10–12 years. At 1.15 am, after attending a mehndi event in Miyar village, Poojary experienced chest pain. He was quickly taken to a hospital and later shifted to the Karkala government hospital at 3.10 am. Doctors declared him dead, and an unnatural death report has been registered at the Karkala town police station.
Poojary was the winner of a comedy reality show on a Kannada channel. He began his theatre journey with the Chaitanya Nataka Kalavidaru troupe and entered Kannada television and cinema through the Tulu comedy reality show. He acted in the television serial ‘Hitler’ and in Kannada films such as ‘Pailwaan’ and ‘Idu Enthaa Lokavayya’, as well as in Tulu movies like ‘Petkammi’, ‘Ammer Polisaa’, ‘Umil’, ‘Illokkel’, among others.
He was also a well-known artist in Tulu plays, Bale Telepale. A video of him seen at the Mehendi function has gone viral. Reportedly, Rakesh recently finished filming ‘Kantara Chapter 1’. He is survived by his mother and sister. Fans, actors, relatives and friends paid their last respects to the departed soul. His final rites were conducted at the Hoode Billava cremation ground in the evening.