Rajkumar called Hubli 'hoo-balli': Shivarajkumar

Who can forget the visuals of Dr Rajkumar singing Huttiddare Kannada Nadalli Huttabeku... from Akasmika with the backdrop of Kittur Rani Chennamma Circle. This, arguably, is one of the best representations of Hubli in Kannada films, something that every resident holds with pride.
The late legendary actor, in fact, has a deeper connect with the city. His first-born, Shivarajkumar, reminisces how his father nurtured a special place for the city, which formed a part of his roots, in his heart."My father had a very special connection with this city. He spent many of his formative years in the mathas in the city," he says.
The actor tells us that his father was part of the Siddharooda Matha, where he learnt singing and yoga among other things. "My father used to remember those days in the Matha very fondly. Even his first tryst with acting and theatre happened during his stay in Hubli. He used to revisit the place every time he was shooting in the city," says Shivarajkumar.
The actor also tells us that his father, who used to love traditional food, savoured the treats from the region. "Be it the Dharwad peda, the kunda or the karadantu, he used to eat each of these fondly. He also liked the cuisine in this region because the people here prepare it with minimal oil and it makes for light eating," says Shivarajkumar.
The legendary Kannada actor, it seems, also used to have a special name for the city. "Appaji used refer to the city as Hoo-balli, a bough of flowers. He used to be amazed at the rich cultural heritage in the region and the people's love for their own literature and arts. This made him fondly give the city this name," says Shivarajkumar.
The Rajkumar family, in fact, has very fond memories of Hubli because they have enjoyed great runs of all their home productions in certain cinema halls in the city. "Right from the trips I used to make as a child with my father to the films of my brothers and mine, I remember how cinema halls have been supportive of the film industry and have hosted parties to celebrate the successes of our films," recalls Shivarajkumar.