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Click here to read more interviews.  He was a child prodigy, a child actor who acted in more than 12 films. He also won a national award for his role in the film "Bettada Hoovu". Now he is a star who has given two Super hits in a row. His two films as a hero "Appu" and "Abhi" are super hits.
Finally the youngest son of the legend himself Dr. Rajkumar has arrived on the star scene.
We met him at the well appointed office of his distribution company Vajreshwari Combines. As we enter his office, anxious film fans await to have a glimpse of the star. Its lunch time and Puneet's assistant asks us to wait for a while so that he can have lunch. As we prepare to wait in the lobby outside, Puneet calls us in to his chamber. OKC: Abhi has completed 100 days and is still going strong in some theatres. How do you feel?
Puneet: I am very happy that Abhi is doing well. For any actor it's a dream come true when his film runs for hundred days. After "Appu" the expectations were very high. So I believe I have lived up to the expectations of my fans. OKC: "Abhi" released almost a year after Appu released. Was this long gap intentional?
Puneet: I am very selective about the films I do. After Appu I needed a good subject, which I believed in. So Abhi was the film I wanted to do. The story is inspired by a real life incident. I may do just one or two films a year. I cannot handle more than that. So the long gap was not intentional. OKC: There were
rumors that you had to re-shoot a number of scenes for Appu. Is it true?
Puneet: You must have read this in a weekly gossip magazine. Do you think we can afford to re-shoot? We make films with a fixed budget. So its impossible to even think of re-shoots here. OKC: You also won a national award as a child artiste for the film "Bettada Hoovu".
Puneet: Yes I also won a filmfare award for the film. At that age I hardly knew the importance of National Award. I just enjoyed the experience of flying to Delhi and staying in a Deluxe five star hotel Hyatt. But when I received the award on stage I realized that the President of India is giving me the award.  OKC: Is it true that most of your childhood days were spent in a studio instead of a school?
Puneet: It is true that most of my days in childhood was spent in a studio. In Madras I hardly went to school. I knew the AVM and Vahini studios more than I knew my school. That is why I was forced to quit school. I passed my school and college exams privately.
OKC: Why did it take a long time for your production company to launch you as a hero?
Puneet: We wanted a very good script. We were looking for a story, which was different from the normal trend. We had to wait for a long time for that. Finally one fine day I met Puri Jagannath. He told me the concept of the film Appu in a single line. I was very happy with the concept. I knew that this should be my launching pad. That's how Appu was born. OKC: What was your father's reaction when he saw Appu?
Puneet: He was very happy. All my family members have supported me all along. Even when Appu released they were happy for me. Each and every members of our family are very close to each other. My family is everything to me. OKC: Among your father's films which one is your favourite?
Puneet: It's hard to choose because each and every film of his is a treat to watch. My personal favourites are "Sampattige Sawal" and "Mayura". "Sampattige Sawal" is my all time
favourite. OKC: Shivaraj Kumar has also come a long way since he made his debut in the eighties.
Puneet: Yes indeed. He has done some fabulous films. I must say his film "Om" is one of the best films ever made Kannada Cinema. It had a brilliant director Upendra working with Shivanna. I have seen "Om" for more than thirty times. "Janumada Jodi" and "Nammoora Mandaara Hoove" are also his best films. Shivanna has always been a pillar of strength for my family and me. Personally he is a great human being. (As we speak his brother Raghavendra Rajkumar walks in to the room and asks Puneet to have lunch. He asks us about OKC. Puneet politely tells him that he will have lunch only after he is through with the interview) OKC: You have also produced and distributed films. Tell us about this business.
Puneet: I was into granite business initially. As I did not do well there, I joined my family business. I have distributed all kinds of films….some good and some bad. But the experience has taught me a lot of things. It has taught me the tricks of the trade. OKC: Tell us who is your favourite actor?
Puneet: I am a film fanatic. I watch all sorts of movies in all languages. In English my favorites are Sean Connery, Tom Hanks, Russel Crowe. In Kannada, of course my father Dr Rajkumar and my brother Shivaraj Kumar. I love Balakrishna, Mysore Lokesh and Sundar Krishna Urs. I have learnt a lot of stuff from them. In Tamil, I like Rajanikanth. In Telugu, I like Nagarjuna. In Malayalam, Mohanlal is my
favourite. OKC: There were also talks about a mega project involving your father and your brothers.
Puneet: For us it is going to be the biggest film of our lives. As we have my father, Shivanna, Raghanna and myself in the film, we need a very good story. We have to yet finalize the story. Once it is done we will go ahead with the project. I think it will be a gift to all Kannadigas from the Rajkumar family. OKC: Your family had to go through a lot when Annavru was abducted. Isn't it?
Puneet: For us it was a very bad phase. We had to face all sorts of problems during that time. But we believe in God. Thanks to him. Veerappan released Appaji. We were also overwhelmed with the kind of support and love we got from the Kannada people. OKC: You became a father recently. How does it feel to be a father?
Puneet: It's a great feeling. When I saw my daughter for the first time I felt that I am a father. You can not describe the feeling. One must experience it. Now I feel more responsible than ever before. OKC: What are your future plans?
Puneet: Right now we have Shivanna's "Chigurida Kanasu" coming up. It is directed by Nagabharana. It will be released this year. I am considering some scripts. I have not planned anything yet. Soon I will start a new project. OKC: You are also a singer…. Your song "Taliban Alla Alla" was very famous.
Puneet: I am not a trained singer. Music Director Gurukiran insisted that I must sing the song. Upendra penned the lyrics. So I felt I must sing this song. I am happy that it was a huge hit. I have also sung a song in
Abhi. OKC: What should we do to improve our film industry?
Puneet: I think we need some very good directors. Our films should appeal to everyone irrespective of the language. We must also tap the NRI market. If we can make films, which caters to all kind of people then we will succeed. If Kannada films are released in USA and UK on a regular basis then it will be a new market for Kannada films. OKC: What is your message to all the people who visit OKC?
Puneet: Please encourage Kannada filmmakers by watching Kannada films in a theatre. Without your support Kannada cinema will not grow. We all need to be united in this aspect. If you people support us we can promise you that we will make some good films. OKC: Thanks Puneet for talking to OKC
Puneet: Thank you for giving me this opportunity to express my views. Sandeep Shenoy & Harish Mattur
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