Veteran Kannada actor Shivaram no more;kannada film fraternity mourns

 The 88-year-old actor was reportedly admitted to a private hospital in Bengaluru on Tuesday after he had collapsed at his home. The Times of India reported that the actor was involved in a car accident a few days before the incident, which might have resulted in a head injury.

Shivaram's sad demise has left the entire Kannada Film Industry heavy-hearted. In a career that spanned across six decades, Shivaram stood as one of the most endearing figures of the film fraternity here for having shared the screen space with the biggest names such as Dr. Rajkumar, Ambareesh, and Dr. Vishnuvardhan. In his own right too, Shivaram was well regarded for his versatility and his comic timing, especially in his collaborations with the legendary Puttanna Kanagal in films 'Gejje Pooje', 'Sharapanjara', 'Naagarahaavu', and others. For his contributions to Indian cinema, he was awarded the Dr. Rajkumar Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011 and the Padmabhushan Dr. B. Sarojadevi National Award in 2013.Shivaram was best known for his comedy roles and was widely appreciated for them. He was even seen alongside Dr Vishnuvardhana in the hit 2004 horror film Apthamitra, directed by P Vasu.

Shivaram who was a staunch devotee of Ayyappa Swamy used to visit Sabarimala every year.

Remembering his extensive body of work and his cultural influence, many Kannada film superstars took to social media to share a few heartfelt words.Challenging Star Darshan wrote: "Shivaram Anna, a renowned veteran of Kannada cinema, has unfortunately left us today. May God give his family the power and strength to withstand this grief. Om Shanti".

Actor V. Ravichandran too took to Twitter to say: "Here's a heartfelt tribute to the veteran artist Shri Shivaram".

CM Basavraj Bommai paid his respects to Shivaram's moral remains and also shared a compassionate note, condoling with the latter's family.