Shiv Rajkumar on recovering from cancer: Didn’t know if I would hold my wife’s hand again
At a press event for the film 45 in Chennai, Shiva Rajkumar discussed his recovery from cancer surgery, the impact of his brother Puneeth’s death, his film collaborations, political intentions and his upcoming role in a female avatar.
Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar, at a press conference for the upcoming film 45 In Chennai, spoke about his journey of recovery after cancer surgery, dealing with the death of his younger brother Puneeth and his evolving outlook on life and work. The film, which stars Upendra and Raj B Shetty along with Shiva Rajkumar, is set to release in Kannada on December 25 and in Tamil and Hindi on January 1. At the Chennai event, Shiva Rajkumar shared information about his health battle, personal loss and current projects.
Reflecting on his health scare, Shiva Rajkumar described the emotional difficulties he faced before and after the surgery. He said, “I left for treatment (cancer surgery in the US) on December 18, 2024. At that time I was very emotional and my eyes were watering. Many media friends had come and they also cried. I didn’t even know whether I would come back or not. No matter how much the doctors assured me, I was afraid that something else might happen.”
He said, “My wife, daughter and daughter’s friend accompanied me. The surgery took place on December 24. That morning they gave me a medicine and after that I became unconscious. I don’t know what happened after that.”
He described regaining consciousness after five hours, emphasizing the support of his family and fans: “When I woke up 5–6 hours later, my wife was there. She held my hand. And when I said to her, ‘I didn’t think I’d hold your hand again’ my eyes watered. The doctors brought me back like a god.”
He said, “The world seemed different. It took me a few days to come out of that thought. I was very emotional when I stepped into India. Even if someone calls to see me, my eyes get moist. I have to thank God. Who gets such love? You can earn as much money as you want, but you cannot earn this love. Everyone has given their love to this Jogi. I kept this in my mind. Is.”
Dealing with the loss of his brother Puneeth
Speaking about the untimely death of his younger brother Puneeth, Shiva Rajkumar reflected on grief and acceptance. He said, “My brother was 46 when he died. You have to face everything in life. Some people die even at the age of 20. When the time comes, you have to go. When he was young, he always lived with my father and mother. He never went to school. He used to study from home.”
He said, “He used to go to all his father’s shoots. At a young age he won a National Award, he became an actor and then took a break before coming back to acting. It felt like his father and mother needed him, so they called him.”
I am playing the character of a woman at 45
On the topic of his upcoming film, Shiva Rajkumar shares his experience of playing a female character 45He said, “I wore that dress, pretended to be a woman and entered the set holding my wife’s hand, Everyone saw who these two women were, My wife was very happy,”
discussing future projects Bhairathi Ranagal The actor confirmed his participation in a Tamil film. “I have chosen a film, it will start soon,” he said.
Addressing speculations about a possible entry into politics, Shiv Rajkumar said, “I don’t know politics. I do what helps people. It doesn’t necessarily require power. We can do it with anyone. There is no division in it. But politics doesn’t work that way.”
His Kannada film, 45Scheduled to release on 25th December. Shiva Rajkumar is expected to join Rajinikanth on the sets jailer 2 In January.