Overview

• He collapsed with chest pain on Monday morning after returning from a performance in Dharwad and was declared dead around 10 a.m. at Fortis Hospital, according to multiple reports.
• Major outlets report he was 60, though some accounts list his age as 62, reflecting inconsistencies in early obituaries.
• Trained at Ninasam in Heggodu with later study at New York University, he directed more than 60 plays and popularized the North Karnataka dialect on stage and screen.
• He helped build institutions including the Hubballi-based repertory Guru Samsthe and the Adi Ranga Theatre School, advancing training for young artists.
• Political leaders and theatre colleagues, including Pralhad Joshi, Basavaraj Bommai, Jagadish Shettar and Basavaraj Horatti, offered condolences, while funeral details were not yet announced.