Bengaluru, Feb 20 (PTI) Veteran Kannada film director S K Bhagawan, who helmed many blockbuster movies with matinee idol Dr Rajkumar, died here on Monday, family sources said. He was 89.

Also Read | Bomb Threat: Deogarh-Bound IndiGo Flight Diverts to Lucknow Following 'Specific Bomb Threat'; Later Cleared for Take-Off.

The octogenarian died due to age-related ailments, they added.

Also Read | RBI Says Banks, Financial Institutions Should Safeguard Banking Security.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, his predecessor B S Yediyurappa, former chief ministers Siddaramaiah, H D Kumaraswamy, Mandya MP Sumalatha, several ministers, MPs and MLAs mourned the director's death.

His film career started in 1956 as an assistant to Kanagal Prabhakara Shastry, and gained prominence when he teamed with Dorairaj (Dorai)and made detective movie 'Jedara Bale' featuring Dr Rajkumar.

Dorai-Bhagawan-directed 'Kasturi Nivasa' starring Dr Rajkumar is counted among movies par excellence.

The Dorai-Bhagawan combination delivered many super hit movies like 'Giri Kanye', 'Odahuttidavaru', 'Eradu Kanasu', 'Jeevana Chaitra', 'Yarivanu' and 'Hosabelaku'.

The duo also directed movies featuring another Kannada film star Ananth Nag such as 'Bayalu Daari', 'Benkiye Bale', 'Sedina Hakki', and 'Chandanada Gombe'.

After the demise of Dorairaj, Bhagawan withdrew himself from making movies only to make a comeback in 2019 when he directed 'Aduva Gombe' starring Ananth Nag and Sanchari Vijay.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)