Kannada actor Dilip Raj passes away. Popularly known as JK of ‘Hitler Kalyana’, he was a versatile actor, director and producer. There is mourning in the industry due to his demise.
‘Hey, get up… look, the storyteller has come. You wanted to discuss the story, look, those people have come…’
Wife Shrividya was holding the shoulder of sleeping husband Dilip and shaking him as if he would wake up soon, shake hands and start talking to the storytellers.
But fate had something else in store. Dilip, who was always in search of new stories, had by then set out in search of a new story towards that world from where no one returns.
In his last film ‘Love Mocktail 3’, Dilip Raj played the role of a lawyer, who fights a case on behalf of a mother and loses. He breathed life into that character with great sincerity and won the hearts of the audience. Today the same lawyer lost the case of his life in the face of death. But the proof of how successful he was as a human being was given by the crowd that gathered to pay his last respects.
Remembering Dilip’s personality, Senior Director T.N. Sitaram says, ‘He had energy equal to four lifetimes. He used to do something new every minute. She played the lead role in my serial ‘Malebillu’. No matter how tense he was, he was always smiling. Wherever he was, there was no dearth of laughter. But today he is sleeping like he will never laugh again.
Golden Star Ganesh said, ‘Dilip was a wonderful person and an excellent performer. In the year 2000, we all entered the entertainment industry together after completing college. We were a small group. Dilip first got a role in a serial. We all were very happy. Then slowly everyone moved forward. I had talked to him only fifteen days ago. Now this news has come. I am still not able to recover from this shock.
Dilip Raj never lost courage
In the year 2005, when Dilip Raj entered Sandalwood with the film ‘Boyfriend’, he had a dream in his eyes to shine as a hero. But the industry played more of a game of hide and seek with him. Dilip did not lose courage and continued working in serials. Meanwhile, he got the role of villain in Puneet Rajkumar’s film ‘Milan’. That character showed the power of Dilip’s acting to the industry. After this, he got some films, but his talent was not given full justice. However, he did excellent work in films like ‘Orchestra Mysore’ and ‘Nimm Varuvugalige Neeve Javadararu’.
When he did not get the right opportunities in films, the TV industry took him. People adored him for his roles as Aditya from ‘Malebillu’, Kishore from ‘Preeti Illad Mele’, Purushottam from ‘Purushottam’ and finally JK from ‘Hitler Kalyana’.
After the serial ‘Hitler Kalyana’ which ran from 2021 to 2024, people started recognizing him by the name of JK.
Vidyamurthy, who played the role of his mother in this serial, said tearfully, ‘After Hitler Kalyana, everyone used to call me JK’s mother. Now JK is gone from the screen.
I am shocked by the news of death
Malaika Vasupal, the heroine of this serial, who is now working in films, said, ‘Sir, I entered the industry with the serial made under your direction. The news of your death has left me stunned.
Dilip was also an excellent dubbing artist. Director KM. Chaitanya wrote, ‘In 2005, I made the serial ‘Kicchu’, in which Dilip played the lead role. Dilip had lent his voice for the character of actor Chetan in my film ‘Aa Dingalu’. His talent should have got more opportunities.
It is true that in films like ‘Aa Dingalu’ and ‘Maina’, Dilip had done such excellent dubbing for actor Chetan that most people considered him to be the real voice of Chetan. Apart from this, Dilip along with his wife also produced hit serials like ‘Krishna Rukku’ and ‘Brahmagantu’. Amidst all this, a lamp has been extinguished, but its light will always shine.
– Rishabh Shetty
Dilip was a good actor, director, producer and above all a good human being. The meetings may have been few in number, but his personality was settled in the heart, which will never fade away.
– Shiva Rajkumar
Dilip Raj’s demise left me deeply saddened. The way he used to host programs, his command over language and his style of speaking were very pleasant to listen to.