Noted Sandalwood filmmaker and director of popular film Nanjundi Kalyana – MS Rajashekar passed away in a Bengaluru hospital on Monday. Rajashekar was 75 years old. He was admitted to Vikram Hospital in Bengaluru and was diagnosed with a lung infection.

According to TOI, Rajashekar suffered from widespread infection and multi organ failure with acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to viral pneumonia. He breathed his last at around 4pm on Monday at the hospital.

MS Rajashekhar is also known for directing movies adapted from popular Kannada novels. Son of one of Sandalwood’s famous make-up artist Subbanna, Rajashekar made his directorial debut in 1985 with the film Dhruva Thare starring Sandalwood’s superstar Dr Rajkumar, which became a superhit.

This movie was an adaptation of the novel Aparanji written by Vijay Sasanur. The film is renowned for its soundtrack, composed by award-winning music director Upendra Kumar.

He has also directed popular films including Anuraga Aralitu, Ratha Saptami, Mana Mechhida Hudugi, Anand, Ade Raaga Ade Haadu and Aasegobba Meesegobba.

He is also credited with introducing Dr Rajkumar’s son Raghavendra Rajkumar’s in the film Nanjundi Kalyana. The film also saw veteran actor Malashree debut in it. The story is an adaptation of the Kannada drama Parvathavani, which itself was an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew.

In 2009, he was also an esteemed member of a jury for the Karnataka State Film Awards.

His films Hrudaya Haadithu and Mannina Doni, which were also adaptations of novels, starred Ambareesh and were instant hits. He had directed more than 30 films and Ravi Shastri starring V Ravichandran that released in 2006 was his last. It is after this movie that Rajashekar announced his retirement.