Singanalluru Puttaswamaiah Muthuraj, better known by his stage name Dr. Rajkumar, was an Indian actor and singer who worked in Kannada cinema. Regarded as one of the greatest actors in the history of Indian cinema and a versatile actor, he is considered a cultural icon and holds a matinée idol status in the Kannada diaspora, among whom he is popularly called as Nata Saarvabhouma, Bangarada Manushya, Vara Nata, Gaana Gandharva, Rasikara Raja, Kannada Kanteerava and Rajanna/Annavru. He was honoured with Padma Bhushan in 1983 and Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1995. He is the only lead actor to win National Award for singing. His 35 movies have been remade 58 times in 9 languages by 34 actors making him the first actor whose movies were remade more than fifty times and the first actor whose movies were remade in nine languages. He was the first actor in India to enact a role which was based on James Bond in a full-fledged manner. The success of his movie Jedara Bale is credited to have widely inspired a Desi bond genre in other Indian film industries. On the occasion of the "Centenary of Indian Cinema" in April 2013, Forbes included his performance in Bangaarada Manushya on its list of "25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema". Upon his death, The New York Times had described him as one of India's most popular movie stars.
Sampath Kumar, known by his stage name Vishnuvardhan, was an Indian actor predominantly in Kannada cinema. He is regarded as one of the popular cultural icon of Karnataka. Vishnuvardhan is often referred to as Sahasa Simha and The Angry Young Man of Kannada Cinema. He appeared in more than 220 films all together in Kannada, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu. He was called The Phoenix of Indian Cinema. He made his debut in the 1972 National Award winning film, Vamsha Vriksha, in a supporting role. The same year he played the lead role in Puttanna Kanagal's Naagarahaavu which was his breakthrough and he had won Filmfare Special Jury Award. He won Karnataka State Film Awards & Filmfare Awards South for best performance.
Prakash Raj is an Indian actor, film director, producer, television presenter, and politician. Known for his works in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, and Malayalam-language films, he is the recipient of several accolades, including five National Film Awards, eight Nandi Awards, eight Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, five Filmfare Awards South, four SIIMA Awards, three CineMAA Awards, and three Vijay Awards. Apart from his mother tongue Kannada, Raj's fluency in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, English, and Marathi has placed him among the most sought after actors in Indian cinema.
Honnasandra Narasimhaiah Chandrashekar, known popularly as Mukhyamantri Chandru, is an Indian actor and politician. As an actor, he is known for his work in Kannada theatre and cinema. The sobriquet Mukhyamantri stuck to his name after the play of the same name that sees him portray the titular role became widely popular. Having portrayed mostly comic and negative roles throughout his career, Chandru is a character actor, and has acted in over 500 films since making his debut in 1983.
Umashree is an Indian actress and politician. She is known for her portrayal of film roles spoken in the Kannada language, particularly comic roles. She received National Film Award for Best Actress for her role as Gulabi in the 2008 Kannada movie Gulabi Talkies. In 2013, Umashree became a Member of the Legislative Assembly in Karnataka in the government of Siddaramaiah where she was the minister for women and child development, empowerment of the differently abled and senior citizens, Kannada language and culture.
Jadalathimmanahalli Krishnappa Srinivasa Murthy, known popularly as Srinivasa Murthy, is an Indian actor and television director. He is mostly known for his work as a director having made many television series in Kannada, beginning in 2001, based on the lives of various Kannada philosophers and poets, and adaptations of the works of popular Kannada writers. As an actor, he is known for his work in Kannada cinema, appearing often in supporting roles. He began his career as a stage artiste in both professional and amateur theatre, before taking to films in 1977. Known for his graceful acting, he is a disciplined actor who has carved out a niche in historical and emotional roles, and is a two-time recipient of the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. His elder son Naveen Krishna is also an actor in Kannada films.
Dayal Padmanabhan is a noted Indian film writer, director and producer, mainly working in Kannada cinema who is a two times Karnataka State award winner. Most of his films are experimental in the genre of Rom-Com and Thriller.
Gauri Ganesha is a 1991 Kannada-language comedy drama film directed by Phani Ramachandra. It stars Anant Nag, Vinaya Prasad, Master Anand, Mukhyamantri Chandru, Vaishali Kasaravalli, Ramesh Bhat among others.
Enreddy Prakash Reddy a.k.a. Om Sai Prakash is a Telugu and Kannada film director and producer. Born in Phirangipuram in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, he started as an assistant to Kodi Ramakrishna and then charted his own course in direction. He directed Maa Inti Aadapoduchu, Amma Leni Puttillu, Kodalu Diddina Kaapuram, Khaidi Garu, Amma Durgamma, Amma Nagamma, Pelli Aadu Choopista, Naga Devatha, etc. in Telugu. He has a trademark of directing films with sentimental and devotional themes. His films in Kannada, such as Anna Thangi, kitturina Huli, Thavarige Baa Thangi, and Golmaal Radhakrishna, were blockbusters in the Kannada film industry. He is married to Ms Rajamma. His son Sai Krishna Enreddy works as a publicity designer, actor and a director.
Chapala Chennigaraya is a 1990 Indian Kannada film, directed by H. R. Bhargava and produced by M Rajagopal and Suresh Kumar. The film stars Kashinath, Kalpana, Vanitha Vasu and Sundar Krishna Urs. The film had musical score by Rajan–Nagendra. The film was a remake of Tamil film Chinna Veedu.
Mysore Srikantayya Umesh, popularly known as M. S. Umesh or simply Umesh, is an Indian actor whose Kannada cinema career has spanned six decades. After having featured in several stage shows as an actor in his childhood, he was hired for the lead character in the film Makkala Rajya (1960). Since then, he has acted in over 350 feature films renowned for his unique dialogue delivery, facial expressions and comedy timing.
Anant Nag is an Indian actor and occasional film producer who appears as an actor in predominantly in Kannada films and a few Hindi and Telugu films. In a career spanning over 5 decades, he has appeared in over 270 films. After having had a successful theatre career, he made his debut in P. V. Nanjaraja Urs' Kannada film Sankalpa, and Shyam Benegal's Dakhani film Ankur, with the former seeing theatrical release first, in 1973, and won multiple awards at the 1972–73 Karnataka State Film Awards. In G. V. Iyer's 1975 film Hamsageethe, he played the role of Bhairavi Venkatasubbiah, a performance that won critical praise, and the film was awarded the Best Feature Film in Kannada at the 23rd National Film Awards.
Prema Sangama is a 1992 Indian Kannada-language romance film directed by Bhargava and written by Karaikudi Narayanan. The film stars Ambarish and Malashri. The film had cinematography by R. Madhusudhan and the dialogues and lyrics are written by Chi. Udaya Shankar.
Honnavalli Krishna is an Indian actor in the Kannada film industry. Some of the notable films of Honnavalli Krishna as an actor include Ratha Sapthami (1986), Aasegobba Meesegobba (1990), Bhootayyana Maga Ayyu (1974), Janumada Jodi (1996).
Mysore Lokesh was an Indian actor in the Kannada film industry. Some of the notable films of Mysore Lokesh as an actor include Bandhana (1984), Gajapathi Garvabhanga (1989), S. P. Sangliyana Part 2 (1990), Mathe Haditu Kogile (1990).
Dinesh(1937-1990) was an Indian actor in the Kannada film industry. Notably, he acted in Bhootayyana Maga Ayyu (1974), Golmaal Radhakrishna (1990), S. P. Sangliyana Part 2 (1990) and Seetharamu (1979).
Sathyabhama is an Indian actress in the Kannada film industry. Her films include Golmaal Radhakrishna (1990), Bandhana (1984), and Nanjundi Kalyana (1989).
Rekha Das is an Indian actress in the Kannada film industry. Some of the notable films of Rekha Das as an actress include Shwethaagni (1991), Shanthi Kranthi (1991), and Hoovu Hannu (1993).
S.M. Joe Simon is an Indian film director, actor, lyricist, screenplay and story writer, known for his work in Kannada cinema. Some of the films directed by Simon are Mr. Vasu (1995), Wanted (1993), Ravivarma (1992), Snehada Kadalalli (1992).
Chandrika is an Indian actress and producer of Kannada cinema. Her best known films are Kendasampige (2015), Golmaal Radhakrishna (1990)and Neenu Nakkare Haalu Sakkare (1991).
