Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar, son of late matinee idol Rajkumar, passed away on Friday after a heart attack. The 46-year-old, affectionately called Appu, was one of the leading and top-grossing actors in the Kannada film industry and a role model for many aspiring actors.

The actor had made his film debut as a child artist decades ago. His sister Poornima and actor Honnavalli Krishna taught him the nuances of acting. 

As he always accompanied his legendary father Dr Rajkumar at his shooting sets, Appu couldn't attend formal school. He left his school at a very little age and took private tuitions in Bangalore.

The 'Power Star', as he was known in the Sandalwood, however, later completed a Diploma in Computer Science.

Puneeth tied the knot with his friend Ashwini in 1999. The couple have two daughters, Driti and Vandhita. 

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