M. S. Umesh

Last updated

M. S. Umesh
Born
Mysore, India
Occupations
  • Actor
  • producer
  • director
Years active1960-present

Mysore Srikantayya Umesh, popularly known as M. S. Umesh or simply Umesh, is an Indian Kannada cinema actor who has a career spanning over six decades. [1] 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.

Contents

Early life and family

Umesh was born on 24 April 1945 to A. L. Srikantayya and Nanjamma. His basic schooling was in Mysore where he was drawn towards theater and stage performances. At the age of 4, he joined the popular theater troupe run by K. Hirannaiah. Soon he joined the more famous Gubbi Veeranna's company and performed various roles as a child artist. It was in one of such stage plays that the then assistant director Puttanna Kanagal noticed him and recommended his name to B. R. Panthulu's next film. [2]

Umesh's first appearance as an actor on the silver screen was with Makkala Rajya in 1960 directed by veteran actor-director B. R. Panthulu for his Padmini films banner. This was also the second film produced by M. V. Rajamma.[ citation needed ] This film also featured veteran Tamil actor Sivaji Ganesan in a cameo role.

Career

Post the superhit debut film, Umesh who was 15, could no longer feature in child roles and adult roles either. He moved back to stage shows and took up jobs which included some back stage labor works. He struggled to find himself a good role in drama plays too. It was then that Puttanna Kanagal again came to his rescue and cast him in his anthology film Katha Sangama (1977). His portrayal as "Thimmarayi" in the Munithaayi episode featuring Rajinikanth and Aarathi fetched him multiple laurels including the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. Starting from here, Umesh was cast in a series of films from 1980's through 2000's. Some of his best remembered films include Nagara Hole (1978), Guru Shishyaru (1981), Anupama (1981), Kaamana Billu (1983), Apoorva Sangama (1984), Shruthi Seridaaga (1987), Shravana Banthu (1984), Malaya Marutha (1986), Golmaal Radhakrishna (1990), Neenu Nakkare Haalu Sakkare (1993), Venkata in Sankata (2007) to name a few.

Umesh's comedy role as "Sithapathi" in the 1990 comedy film, Golmaal Radhakrishna starring Ananth Nag in the lead is considered one of the best comedy roles in Kannada cinema. His catchy dialogue "Apaartha Madkondbitro Eno" is widely acclaimed among the masses. [3] His role as an old toothless widow grandmother in Ramesh Aravind's directorial Venkata in Sankata was also widely appreciated. [4]

Selected filmography

Awards

Related Research Articles

Vinaya Prakash, also credited as Vinaya Prasad, is an Indian actress who has primarily featured in Kannada, Malayalam and Tamil films and TV series besides acting in Telugu language films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mukhyamantri Chandru</span> Indian politician

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 title 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.

Kanaka Vijayalakshmi, known by her stage name Madhavi is an Indian former actress known for her works in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam films. In a career spanning of almost 2 decades she has been featured in around 300 films and was hailed as one of the leading actresses of South Indian Cinema in the 1980s.

Rajani is an Indian actress known for her work in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Umashree</span> Indian politician and actress

Umashree is an Indian actress and politician. She appears in the Kannada language, particularly in Character roles to supporting roles. She received National Film Award for Best Actress for her role as Gulabi in the 2008 Kannada movie Gulabi Talkies.

K. Chakravarthi was an Indian music director who primarily worked in Telugu cinema. He made his debut in 1971 with Mooga Prema and went on compose music for over 949 films, predominantly in Telugu language, followed by Kannada. He won two Nandi Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K. S. Ashwath</span> Indian Kannada actor

Karaganahalli Subbaraya Ashwathanarayana was an Indian veteran actor who appeared in Kannada films He appeared in over 370 films during his five-decade-long career. His only memorial in the whole of Karnataka, India is in the Kengeri satellite town, Bengaluru. Memorial name - "K. S. Ashwath Memorial Children's Park".

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vijaya Narasimha</span> Indian Kannada lyricist

Vijaya Naarasimha was an Indian lyricist who worked in Kannada cinema.

Golmaal Radhakrishna is a 1990 Indian Kannada comedy film directed and written by Om Sai Prakash. The film starred Anant Nag in the title role along with Chandrika and Vanitha Vasu in leading roles. The music of the film was composed by M. Ranga Rao.

B. C. Gowrishankar was an Indian cinematographer and an occasional film director and screenwriter who worked primarily in Kannada cinema. He was known for his unorthodox style as a cinematographer and was recognised for his work in both art and commercial films. Gowrishankar won six Karnataka State Film Awards during his career as a cinematographer. In 1988 he directed the fairly successful Elu Suttina Kote with Ambareesh, Gautami and a young Ramesh Aravind.

Venkata In Sankata is a 2009 Kannada comedy film directed by Ramesh Aravind and produced by "Sinema House" banner. The story is written by Telugu film writer, Madhu Thotapalli. This is the fourth directorial venture of actor Ramesh.

S. Shivaram, popularly known simply as Shivaram or Shivaramanna, was an Indian actor, producer and director whose Kannada cinema career has spanned six decades. He has played roles including lead hero performances, character roles, comedic roles, as well as supporting parts. He teamed up with his elder brother, S. Ramanathan and produced several films under the name Rashi Brothers apart from directing Hrudaya Sangama in 1972. They together produced movies directed by Puttanna Kanagal like Gejje Pooje and Upasane. They also produced Dr. Rajkumar 's 175th movie Nanobba Kalla and the Tamil movie Dharma Durai starring Rajinikanth which was a remake of the 1989 Kannada movie Deva. The brothers together produced few Bollywood films as well including the 1985 movie Geraftaar which is known to be the only Indian movie to star three stalwarts - Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth - in a single movie. As an actor, Shivaram has the distinction of working with many stalwart directors out of which his association with Puttanna Kanagal is much remembered. He has acted in all the seven Kannada movies directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao starring Rajkumar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mysore Lokesh</span> Indian Kannada actor (1947-1994)

Mysore Lokesh was an Indian actor in the Kannada film industry. His films include Bandhana (1984), Gajapathi Garvabhanga (1989), S. P. Sangliyana Part 2 (1990), Mathe Haditu Kogile (1990). He did comedic and villainous roles in most films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dinesh (Kannada actor)</span>

Balasubramaniam (1937–1990), know by his screen name Dinesh, was an Indian actor known for his work in Kannada cinema. 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).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prithviraj (Kannada actor)</span> Indian actor (born 1948)

Nuggehalli Rangaraj Prithviraj is an Indian actor who appeared in Kannada films and Kannada television serials. He appeared in over 116 films and 64 television serials in his four-decade-long career.

Udupi Jayaram was an Indian choreographer known for his work in Kannada cinema. He choreographed in dance sequences for over 500 films which included Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Tulu films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rathnakar (actor)</span> Indian actor

Kollur Manjunatha Bhatta Rathnakar was an Indian actor and director, known for his work in Kannada film industry. He is best known for his comic roles in movies including Kanyarathna (1963), Satya Harishchandra (1965), Guru Shishyaru (1981), Hosa Belaku (1982) and Halli Meshtru (1992).

References