When Amitabh recalled Dr Rajkumar’s prayer for his life after his near-fatal Coolie accident

On a recent episode of KBC, Kantara Chapter 1 star Rishab Shetty joined Amitabh Bachchan on the hot seat and steered the conversation toward Kannada cinema legend Dr Rajkumar, affectionately called Annavru. Rishab’s question prompted
Host Bachchan to share a cherished memory of the iconic actor and the deep respect he held for him.

Recalling the late icon’s humility and warmth, Amitabh shared, that in Karnataka, Rajkumar is like a god, but when he (Amitabh) met him, Rajkumar was very simple and down-to-earth. He wore simple clothes and lived in a modest home. By looking at him, you couldn’t tell that he was such a big star.

The Legend then recounted a deeply emotional gesture by
Dr Rajkumar following his 1982 accident on the sets of Coolie. “The biggest accomplishment for him was… when he met with that accident in Bengaluru. Many people prayed for him but Rajkumar went to his special temple in Karnataka, where the tradition is to wear wet clothes and roll on the ground around the temple as a parikrama. He did that to pray for his life, Amitabh revealed.

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It was a bond that lasted till the end
Amitabh went on to add that since then, till the day he died, he and Amitabh remained connected. He was also close to his children, who are now stars in their own right. I am ever grateful and obliged to have been blessed by somebody like Rajkumar.”

In the midst of the filming of Coolie in 1983 Amitabh Bachchan suffered a near-fatal abdominal injury while on shoot for an action scene with
co-star Puneet Issar. The mishap left him with severe internal bleeding and in critical condition for weeks, sparking nationwide prayers for his recovery.

News Edit KV Raman