Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar died in Bengaluru on Friday morning due to a massive heart attack. He was 46. Lovingly called as ’Power Star’, the actor was rushed to Vikram Hospital after he complained of chest pain and breathed his last, with the news of his demise being announced yesterday morning. Funeral proceedings for Puneeth Rajkumar are currently underway in Bengaluru on Saturday as fans and celebrities from the Kannada film industry, including Tamil cinema are paying their last respects to the actor. 

The son of matinee idol, the late Rajkumar, and Parvathamma, Puneeth Rajkumar was fondly called as 'Appu' by his fans after his breakout debut role as a hero. The entire state of Karnataka has been placed on high alert as per Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s orders with many parts of Bengaluru shut down since yesterday. Pubs, bars, shops and business establishments at Gandhinagar area, which is the centre of the Kannada film industry, have remained. 

Thousands of fans have been gathering at Bengaluru's Kanteerava Stadium since yesterday to pay their last respects to Puneeth Rajkumar. Pictures and videos of a sea of fans packing into the stadium have gone viral on social media, with the last rites expected to be performed on Sunday as Puneeth’s family are waiting for the arrival of his daughter, Drithi, who is living abroad. The late actor’s last rites will be performed at the Kanteerava Studio where his parents Dr Rajkumar and Parvathamma were cremated. 

Among the celebrities who paid their respects in person were leading Kannada actor Yash of KGF fame, including Garuda Ram, followed by reputed producer ‘Rockline’ Venkatesh, to name a notable few. Likewise, Tamil film industry personalities like Prabhudeva and Sarathkumar too visited the late actor’s last rites, with emotional scenes being witnessed. We see Sarathkumar breaking down in tears upon witnessing Puneeth and then being consoled by ‘Rockline’ Venkatesh. 

Below is the video of Sarathkumar getting emotional at Puneeth Rajkumar’s funeral: