In the award-winning movie Thithi, ‘Gaddappa’, owns land worth lakhs of rupees and his reluctance to transfer its ownership to his son is the storyline for the film.
But in real life, 73-year-old Channe Gowda, who has become a household name as ‘Gaddappa’, the lead role he played in the film, continues to live in a hut, with polythene sheets and dry grass for a roof
In the Node Koppalu village, near Pandavapura, the septuagenarian, who suffers from a heart ailment, wheezing, hearing impairment, and several other health problems, is struggling to raise enough money to construct a house.
“Everyone appreciates me for my acting in Thithi. I delivered dialogues and acted naturally. People from different parts of the State regularly visit me and take photographs. But, none know that I am a heart patient,” he told The Hindu.
The shabbily dressed Channe Gowda, with thick grey hair and beard, was sitting outside his hut when this correspondent visited Node Koppalu recently. “The general public is unaware that I had collapsed during the shooting of Thithi and was admitted to a private hospital in Mysuru. The government or the Kannada and Culture Department should provide me a shelter,” he says. He thanked Raam Reddy, director of Thithi, for taking care of his health during the shooting.
The Thithi team paid some amount as remuneration; however, it all has gone for the health and other personal issues, say his relatives. Channe Gowda lost his wife a few years ago and since then has been staying in his hut. His daughters and their husbands are taking care of his daily needs.
The government or the Mandya district administration [or movie production houses] should help Channe Gowda to construct a house and for medical treatment, one of his relatives, said.
One more movie
“Ere Gowda [the co-script writer of Thithi ] is my grandson,” says a proud Channe Gowda, who is currently acting in another Kannada movie Tharle Village, waiting for fortunes to change in real life as well.
