BANGALORE: Kannada actor and theatre personality Karibasavaiah passed away at a private nursing home in the city on Friday. He was 53. He was admitted to hospital on January 31 following a road accident. It was said that the actor, after completing a film shooting at Kanakapura, was returning home in his car, in the wee hours of Tuesday. In a bid to avoid a pothole, he lost balance on his car and injured his spinal cord, said the relatives of the actor, who had gathered at the hospital.
He was being treated at ICU for the last four days. But on Friday afternoon at about 2.15 pm, he developed health complications and died. As the news of his death spread, many fans and co-artistes from across the city rushed to the hospital to pay their last respects. Some co-artistes said that he was working overtime and they had advised him to take rest which he apparently ignored.
Karibasavaiah, who rose to fame from his sense of humour, was upset since his first daughter Radha allegedly committed suicide in 2009, the actor’s relatives told Express. Actor and MLC Jaggesh, actress Shruthi, MLA Narendra Babu and others visited the hospital. Also before taking the body for postmortem at M S Ramaiah Hospital, his eyes were donated. Later, the body was taken to his residence at Saraswathipuram in Nandini Layout.
Karibasavaiah is survived by his wife Shanta and daughter Veena.
He worked as a lab assistant at Sheshadripuram for a few years before entering filmdom. He had acted over 100 films including 'Kotreshi Kanasu', 'Yaarige Saluthe Sambala', 'Janumada Jodi', 'Thaayi,' 'Police Story 2', 'Janapada', 'Magic Ajji', 'Right Adre', 'Durgi', 'Galate Aliyandru', 'Ulta Pulta', 'Parichaya', 'Crazy Kutumba', 'Holi', 'Nooru Janmakoo', 'Aithalakkadi,' 'Ullasa Utsaha', 'Sri Moksha' and '5 Idiots'.
Karibasavaiah who was also called as ‘Karibevu’ of Kannada cine industry, made his debut in a television serial ‘Doddamane’ before director Nagatihalli Chandrashekar introduced him to through the film “Undoo Hoda Konduhoda”. He was acting in ‘Breaking News’ directed by Nagatihalli Chandrashekar which is under production. On Thursday, Chandrashekar had appealed to people to donate money towards medical treatment of the artiste.
According to family sources, the mortal remains of Karibasavaiah will be kept at the Ravindra Kalakshethra from 9 am to 11 am on Saturday to enable the people to pay their last respects.
Later, the body will be taken to his native, Kodigehalli village Thymagondlu Hobli for last rites.
A TALENTED ACTOR, CONDOLES CM
Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has expressed profound grief at the untimely death of veteran comedian Karibasavaiah. “Karibasavaiah was a talented actor who had served both the stage as well as the film world. He was a down-to-earth and well behaved person. It is very sad that untimely death has snatched away an artiste who had a bright future,” Sadananda
Gowda said in his condolence message.
A GREAT LOSS TO FILM INDUSTRY: NAGABHARANA
Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy has condoled the death of Karibasavaiah. In his letter, T S Nagabharana, President of the Academy, stated that the Kannada film industry has lost a distinguished artiste. It is a great loss to the film industry, Nagabharana stated.
