Renowned Kannada actor Shiva Rajkumar will be leaning for the United States on Wednesday night (Dec 18) for medical treatment and surgery.

Before departing, Shiva Rajkumar performed a special puja at his residence, attended by family, friends, and well-wishers who prayed for his speedy recovery.

Recently, the actor had spoken to the media about his health issues, confirming that he would undergo surgery in the US. He and his wife also visited the Tirumala temple to seek blessings from Lord Venkateswara before heading abroad.

Shiva Rajkumar’s surgery is scheduled for December 24, after which he is expected to stay in the US for a month. The actor recently mentioned he plans to watch Upendra’s much-awaited movie UI after his surgery.

The puja at his residence saw several notable attendees, including actor Kiccha Sudeep, former minister B.C. Patil, minister Madhu Bangarappa, and producer Karthik Gowda, among others from the film industry and political circles.

Shiva Rajkumar’s recent release, Bhairathi Ranagal, received an overwhelming response from audiences. He is next set to appear in the film 45.