Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)

Bantwal, Sep 11: Tulu drama artiste, Navooru grama Kanapade resident Rajesh Bantwal(46) passed away due to illness in Mangaluru private hospital on Friday, Sep 9. He has left behind his mother and sister.

Rajesh was the second eldest of five children born to Kanapade Raghava Acharya and Varija. He was a goldsmith by profession. He started acting in dramas through late Shantaram Kalladka's Line Thagenda and was a well versed actor for the last 28 years. He later joined Lion Devadas Kapikad’s Bale Cha Parka team through Panda Nambiar and acted in Pudar Deethiji, Akka and several dramas. He later joined Vijaya Kumar Kodialbail's Kalasangam and acted in almost all dramas after being a member for 15 years. Oriyardori Asal, Mande Balipuji, Viddu, Asal Murthilu, Aklelekka Enkulath, Mamugonji Mami, Bhoja Budiyerege, Kodi Ini Elle are his some of his well-known dramas.

The four roles of Rajesh in Asal Er were popular. He has acted in Ganesh Natak Sabha of K N Tailor, Asare Kalavidaru of Dinesh Kankanady and several other teams in Dakshina Kannada district.

He had acted in Kadala Mage, Oriyardori Asal, Ekkasaka Tulu movie, and Sankalpa tulu serial. He was a member of Hindu Yuva Sene. He did not give up his attachment to drama despite his illness and directed and acted in a drama of Kalanidhi Youth Group in his hometown. The drama was scheduled to be shown on Sep 10 but he passed away a day prior to it.

Zilla Kalavidara Okkoota president Kishore D Shetty, Vijayakumar Kodialbail, Bhoja Raj Vamanjooru, Arvind Bolar and artistes of different drama troupes paid their last respects to Rajesh.