Veteran Kannada film director Siddalingaiah dies

Bengaluru: Veteran Kannada film director S Siddalingaiah, who churned out many blockbusters, died here today at a private hospital due to multiple organ failure.

Siddalingaiah (79) breathed his last this afternoon, doctors at a private hospital, where he was under treatment for the past weeks for different ailments, said.

"He died due to multiple organ failure today," doctors said, adding, he was affected by H1N1 earlier but had recovered from it.

Siddalingaiah, who made his directorial debut in 1969 with "Mayor Muthanna" casting Kannada thespian Rajkumar in the lead role, later went on to direct blockbusters like "Bangaarada Manushya" and "Bhootayyana Maga Ayyu."

"Bangaarada Manushya", a social film which was a phenomenal box office hit with Rajkumar in the lead role that also earned a niche for Siddalingaiah, who created a record in the Kannada cinema world running in a theatre in Bengaluru for two years.

Recipient of several awards including Puttanna Kanagal Award in 1993-94 Siddalingaiah had lost his son Murali, a successful Tamil actor in 2010. Grandson Atharvaa is also a leading actor in Tamil.

Siddalingaiah had also directed a Tamil movie.

Family sources said the last rites will be performed tomorrow.