Pics: Vishnuvardhan's life in pics

Legendary Kannada actor Vishnuvardhan died in Mysore on Wednesday morning after a heart attack. He was 59.

Vishnuvardhan began his career in 1972 with Girish Karnad's National Award winner, Vamshavruksha. The same year, blockbuster Naagarahavu, signaled his arrival as a star. The film also won him the State Award for Best Actor.

The nearly 200 films he acted in ranged from social dramas to action adventures. But Vishnuvardhan amassed more than just state honours and box office records. He had an ardent fan base that calls him its 'Saahasa Simha' or 'Courageous Lion'.

Vishnuvardhan became famous for his stunts in action films that showcased him as an angry young man.

He was recently seen in Bellary Naga that released earlier this year.

At the National College Grounds in Bangalore thousands of people showed up for one last look at their hero.

The loss of the iconic actor also hit the Karnataka Assembly. The Congress asked that the Speaker's election be postponed as a mark of respect for Vishnuvardhan. This led to an angry exchange with the BJP, which opposed the move.

Gentler homage was paid by friends and colleagues like renowned actor Anant Nag who said, "He was very warm, very genuine, very witty. He had undergone travails but he never showed them. He was a wonderful mimic, there was no one who he could not mimic. He had just to meet a person once and he would mimic."

Vishnuvardhan's pairing with Suhasini Maniratnam was the most successful. His 2004 film, Apthamitra, is among Kannada cinema's biggest hits.

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