Kannada Actor Dileep Raj Dies at 47
BANGALORE — Kannada actor and television producer Dileep Raj died Wednesday after reportedly suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 47.
Raj, known for his roles in “Milana” and “U Turn,” is survived by his wife and two children.
News of his death prompted condolences from fans and members of the Kannada film industry.
Kannada star Rishab Shetty, in a condolence message in Kannada on X, described Raj as not only a good actor, director and producer, but also a genuinely good human being. Shetty said he had met Raj only a few times, but the impression left by the late actor’s personality would never fade.
Industry sources said Raj began as a theater artiste and went on to leave his mark in theater, television and films.
Raj made his film debut in 2005 with “Boyfriend,” in which he played the lead role. He rose to prominence with his performance as the villain in director Prakash’s hit film “Milana,” starring Puneeth Rajkumar and Parvathy.
He also played a key role in the thriller “U Turn,” which became a major success. Raj was last seen in director Darling Krishna’s “Love Mocktail 3,” which was released worldwide in March. The film, starring Darling Krishna and Milana Nagaraj, was the final installment in the popular franchise.
Raj was also known for his work in television serials, including “Ratha Sapthami” and “Hitler Kalyana.” He produced “Hitler Kalyana” and also played the lead role in the serial, which aired on Zee Kannada. The show is believed to be a Kannada adaptation of the Hindi serial “Guddan Tumse Na Ho Payega.”
In addition to acting and producing, Raj worked as a dubbing artiste. Among his notable dubbing credits was “Aa Dinagalu,” in which he dubbed for Chethan Kumar. (Source: IANS)
