Tara (Kannada actress)

Tara
Tara
	Tara, IFFI (2005)
Member (nominated) of Karnataka Legislative Council
	In office; 10 August 2012 –2018
Children	1
Occupation	Actress, politician

Last updated September 25, 2025

H. C. Venugopal

(m. 2005)

Anuradha (born 4 March 1965), known by her stage name Tara, is an Indian actress, television personality and a politician. She is known for her work predominantly in Kannada language films in addition to a few Tamil and Telugu films. She has appeared in over 250 films and has won a National Film Award for Best Actress, three Karnataka State Film Awards and two Filmfare Awards South in her career spanning over 40 years.

Tara made her debut in 1984 with the Tamil film Ingeyum Oru Gangai . Her Kannada film debut came in 1985 with Thulasidala. Some of her most notable films in Kannada include Krama (1991), Munjaneya Manju (1993), Kanooru Heggadithi (1999), Munnudi (2000), Mathadana (2001), Hasina (2005), Cyanide (2006) and Ee Bandhana (2007), Ulidavaru Kandanthe (2014). Even though she started off in the lead role, most part of her film career has been in playing the second lead and supporting roles during the 1980s and the early 1990s. In the mid 1990s she began to take up author backed roles which earned her critical acclaim and several awards and laurels including the National Film Award for the film Hasina.^[3] She has been among the judge panel in television reality shows such as Raja Rani (2021) and Nannamma Super Star (2021-22).

She joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2009 and is currently a nominated member of the Karnataka Legislative Council. After joining BJP, she was elected as the president of the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy in 2012 and held the position for a year.^[4] In the same year, she was nominated as a member of the Karnataka Legislative Council, the upper house of the legislature of Karnataka.^[5]

Career

Tara made her first appearance on screen for a Tamil film Ingeyum Oru Gangai directed by noted actor, Manivannan, in 1984 which featured Murali in the lead. Following this, she featured in her first Kannada film Thulasidala in 1985. She got a big break in Rajkumar starrer Guri (1986) and thereafter acted in several movies as a leading lady and supporting actress.

Tara has worked with almost all leading Kannada heroes of the 1980s and 1990s including Rajkumar, Shankar Nag, Vishnuvardhan, Ambareesh, Ananth Nag, Ravichandran, Shashikumar, Tiger Prabhakar, Shivarajkumar, Raghavendra Rajkumar, Murali, Karthik, Sunil and Devaraj.

Her performance in Girish Karnad's Kanooru Heggadithi brought her widespread recognition. She received her first award as best actress for the Kannada movie Krama (1991), directed by debutant director Asrar Abid. In the late 1980s, she appeared as a supporting actress in Mani Ratnam's Tamil films, Nayakan and Agni Natchathiram. Her performance in Girish Karnad's Kanooru Heggadithi brought her widespread recognition for which she also received her second "best actress" state award. She received the "best supporting actress" award for Munjaneya Manju . She received wide critical acclaim for the female centric Munnudi which received multiple National Film Awards, including Best Film on Other Social Issues.^[6]^[7]

In 2005, she was cast by Girish Kasaravalli in Hasina , for which she won the National Award. Subsequently, her role in Deadly Soma was appreciated. Then came another breakthrough performance in Cyanide . In 2007, Tara received her third Best Actress award.^[8]

Beside acting, she produced Hasina, directed by Girish Kasaravalli, and she has also announced her intention to direct films as well.^[9]

Personal life

Tara married cinematographer H. C. Venugopal in 2005. They have a son (b. 2013).^[2]

Filmography

Kannada films

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1985	Thulasidala
1986	Anand	Asha
	Guri
	Brahmastra	Mala
	Maneye Manthralaya
	Samsarada Guttu
	Sundara Swapnagalu
	Ella Hengasarinda
	Satkaara
	Hennina Koogu
	Madhura Bandhavya
	Mathondu Charithre
	Thavaru Mane
	Bete		Guest appearance
1987	Ravana Rajya
	Shubha Milana
	Mr. Raja
	Anthima Ghatta
	Bala Nouke
	Karunamayi
	Kurukshetra
	Mukhavada
	Thayi		Guest appearance
	Bhadrakali
	Lorry Driver
1988	Ranaranga	Bhavana
	Avale Nanna Hendthi	Gayathri
	Kampana
	Mathrudevobhava
	Sangliyana
	Mutthaide
	Thayigobba Karna
	Kote
	Meenakshi Mane Meshtru
	Dharmapathni
	Thayi Karulu
1989	Hendthighelbedi
	Avathara Purusha
	Bidisada Bandha	Aruna
	En Swamy Aliyandre
	Deva	Sujatha
	Anthintha Gandu Nanalla	Kamala
	Doctor Krishna	Chanchala
	Poli Huduga
	Raja Yuvaraja
	Padmavyuha
	C.B.I. Shankar	Actress	Guest appearance
	Premagni
	Sura Sundaranga
1990	Nigooda Rahasya
	Agni Divya
	Amrutha Bindu
	Khiladi Thatha
	Maheshwara
	Neene Nanna Jeeva
	Policena Hendthi
	Chakra
	Muraligana Amruthapana
	Challenge
	Ivalentha Hendthi
	Kaliyuga Krishna
	Raja Kempu Roja
	Sididedda Gandu
	Sri Sathyanarayana Pooja Phala
1991	C. B. I. Shiva	Ranjini
	Ide Police Belt
	Krama		Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actress
	Nagu Nagutha Nali
	Anatha Rakshaka
	Kadana
	Khiladi Gandu
	Aranyadalli Abhimanyu
	Maneli Ili Beedeeli Huli
	Ibbaru Hendira Muddina Police
	Karnana Sampathu
	Nagini
	Nanagu Hendthi Beku
	Rollcall Ramakrishna
	Shwethagni
	Golmaal Part 2	Meera
	Sundara Kanda
1992	Undu Hoda Kondu Hoda	Rukmini
	Halli Meshtru	Teacher's wife	Cameo role
	Belli Kalungura	Tunga
	Nagaradalli Nayakaru
	Vajrayudha
	Malashree Mamashree	Tara
	Prema Sangama
	Banni Ondsala Nodi
	Gili Bete
	Roshagara
	Police File
1993	Munjaneya Manju	Hema	Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actress
	Apoorva Jodi
	Karimaleya Kaggathalu
	Muddina Maava
	Khaidi No.407
	Manikantana Mahime
	Mojina Maduve
	Prana Snehitha
	Bhagavan Sri Saibaba	Lakshmi
	Sidukabeda Singari
	Bhavya Bharatha
	Jwala
	Love Training
	Mahendra Varma
	Sarkarakke Savaal
	Server Somanna		Guest appearance
	Shrungara Raja
1994	Alexander
	Sammilana
	Gandhada Gudi Part 2	Marappa's wife
	Hettha Karulu
	Praja Shakti
	Yarigu Helbedi
	Apoorva Samsara
	Bhuvaneshwari
	Poorna Sathya
1995	Operation Antha
	Thumbida Mane	Geetha
	Mana Midiyithu
	Nilukada Nakshatra
	Mister Abhishek	Revathi
	Bhavani
	Hello Sister		Guest appearance
	Killer Diary
	Ravitheja
	Chinnada Raja
	Eshwar
	Professor
	Shubha Lagna
1996	Ibbara Naduve Muddina Aata
	Sipayi
	Dhani		Guest appearance
	Aadithya	Inspector
	Jeevanadhi
	Nannaseya Nandini
	Nirnaya
	Saakida Gini
	Mouna Raga
	Muddina Sose
	Surya Puthra
	Veerabhadra
	Karadipura
1997	Amrutha Varshini	Vimala
	Ellaranthalla Nanna Ganda
	Central Jail
	Jackie Chan
	Vimochane
	Kandalli Gundu
1998	Yaare Neenu Cheluve	Mary
	Anthargami
	Gadibidi Krishna
	Hendthigeltheeni
	High Command
	O Gandasare Neeveshtu Olleyavaru
	Sri Siddharooda Mahime
1999	Kanooru Heggadithi	Subbamma	Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actress Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Kannada Suprabhata Award for Best Actress^{[ citation needed ]}
	Premotsava	Shanti
	Chandrodaya
	Durga Shakti
	Tharikere Erimele		Guest appearance
	Final Judgement
2000	Galate Aliyandru
	Devara Maga	Sundari
	Hagalu Vesha
	Kadlimatti Station Master
	Deveeri		Guest appearance
	Munnudi	Rukhiya
	Swalpa Adjust Madkolli
	Tiger Padmini
2001	Diggajaru	Gowri
	Kothigalu Saar Kothigalu	Actress
	Amma
	Namma Samsara Ananda Sagara
	Neelambari
2002	Mathadana	Lakshmi
	Ninagagi	Rukkamma
	Karmugilu	Gowri
	Balarama
	Daddy No.1
	Galate Maduve
	Sri Krishna Sandhana
2003	Paris Pranaya	Seetha
	Ondagona Baa
	Ai Naan Bheeshma Kano
	Shravana Sambhrama
2004	Nalla	Dr. Sarala Desai
	Aagodella Olledakke
	Saradara
	Jyeshta
	Nalla
	Devasura
	Naari Munidare Gandu Paraari
	Roshagni
2005	Deadly Soma
	Karnana Sampathu
	Siddhu
	Namma Basava
	Hasina	Hasina	National Film Award for Best Actress
	Dr. B. R. Ambedkar	Ramabai Ambedkar
	Pandu Ranga Vittala	Sarala
	Samarasimha Nayaka
	Auto Shankar
2006	Mata	Chandra's lover
	Cyanide	Mridula	Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actress
	Pandavaru
	Care of Footpath	Saraswati
	Eesha
2007	Shri Kshetra Kaivara Thathaiah		Suvarna Film Award for Best Supporting Actress
	Maathaad Maathaadu Mallige
	Ee Bandhana	Sukanya	Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Kannada
	Right Adre
	Deepa
	Vidyarthi
2008	Aramane	Savitri
	Jnanajyothi Sri Siddaganga
	Ganga Kaveri	Ganga's mother	Guest appearance
2009	Birugaali
	Nirudyogi
	Abhimani
	Brahmacharigalu Saar Brahmacharigalu
	Prashne
2010	Modalasala	Paaru
	School Master
	Eradane Maduve
	Jotheyagi Hithavagi
	Kunidu Kunidu Baare
	Niranthara
2011	Mathond Madhuvena
	Kirataka	Nandisha's mother
	Jolly Boy	Lakshmi
	Panchamrutha	Shanthi	segment: "Ondu Kanasu: a dream"
	Kempegowda	Kavya's mother
	Sogasugara
2012	Bhageerathi		Udaya Award for Best Supporting Actress
	Samsaaradalli Golmaal
	Golmal Gayathri
2013	Galaate
2013	Shravani Subramanya	Anuradha	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Kannada
2014	Ulidavaru Kandanthe	Ratna
2015	Octopus
2016	CBI Sathya
	Madamakki	Ratna
	Golisoda
2017	Bharjari	Nimmi
2017	Gapallondu Cinema
2018	Hebbet Ramakka	Ramakka	Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actress Nominated—Filmibeat Award for Best Actress – Kannada
	Atharva
	Savitribai Phule
2019	Sinnga	Janakamma
	Aadi Lakshmi Puraana	Shanthamma
	Ellidde Illi Tanaka	Lakshmi
	Bharaate	Jagan's mother
2020	Shivarjuna	Shiva's mother
2021	Tom And Jerry
	Mugilpete	Raja's mother
	Badava Rascal	Shankar's mother
2022	Dandi
2023	Tagaru Palya	Shantha
2023	Bad Manners	Lakshmamma
2024	Kotee
2025	Vaamana

Other language films

Year	Film	Role	Language	Notes
1984	Ingeyum Oru Gangai	Maruthayi	Tamil
1984	January 1		Tamil
1985	Bullet		Telugu
1987	Nayakan	Shakila	Tamil
	Sankeertana		Telugu
	Thulasi	Ponni	Tamil
1988	Agni Natchathiram	Mallika	Tamil
1988	Pelli Chesi Choodu	Seeta	Telugu
1989	Sarvabhoumudu	Usha	Telugu
1990	Sirayil Pootha Chinna Malar	Muthappa's wife	Tamil
	Kaliyuga Abhimanyudu	Padma	Telugu
	Neti Siddhartha	Rekha	Telugu
	Maa Inti Katha		Telugu	Nandi Award for Best Supporting Actress
1991	Brahmarshi Viswamitra	Sakunthala's friend	Telugu
2008	Muniyandi Vilangial Moonramandu		Tamil
2012	Maattrraan	Sudha	Tamil
2017	Sathriyan	Niranjana's mother	Tamil

Television

Year	Serial	Channel	Role	Language	ref.
1993	Mikhaelinte Santhathikal	Asianet TV		Malayalam
2002	Parva			Kannada	^[10]
2021	Raja Rani	Colors Kannada	Judge	Kannada
2021-2022	Nannamma Super Star	Colors Kannada	Judge	Kannada
2025-Present	Naavu Nammavaru	Zee Kannada	Judge	Kannada

Notes

↑ Tara has said that she was born on 4 March 1965^[1] whereas a news report carried by The Times of India in 2013 quoted she was 48, which implies she was born in c. 1965.^[2]

References

↑ "ತಾರಾ ಜನ್ಮ ರಹಸ್ಯ" [The Secret of Tara's Birth]. Kannada Prabha (in Kannada). 4 March 2017. Archived from the original on 6 March 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
1 2 "Tara delivers a baby boy at 48!". The Times of India . 2 February 2013. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013.
↑ "Saif, Tara win National Best movie song - Sangliayana part 2 "Prethinda pappi kotta mummy" awards". Rediff. 13 July 2005. Retrieved 23 January 2009.
- "It's better late than never, says Tara". The Hindu . 15 July 2005. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 23 January 2009.
↑ Muthanna, Anjali (16 June 2013). "Tara officially resigns as Film Academy head". The Times of India. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
↑ "Tara to head Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy". The Times of India. 16 January 2017. ISSN 0971-8257.
↑ "48th National Film Awards (PDF)" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals . Retrieved 13 March 2012. For attempting to discuss the misuse of Shariat by opportunistic men and the manipulation of the testaments on "Nikah" and "Talaaq".
↑ "48th National Film Awards". International Film Festival of India. Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
↑ "Kumaraswamy happy with resurgent Kannada cinema". The Hindu . 31 August 2007. Archived from the original on 18 January 2008. Retrieved 23 January 2009.
↑ "Tara – from actress to director". Indiaglitz. 25 February 2005. Archived from the original on 16 May 2006. Retrieved 23 January 2009.
↑ "Another star turn for Tara?". Deccan Herald . 30 June 2002. Archived from the original on 2 December 2002. Retrieved 26 September 2023.

External links

Official website
Tara at IMDb

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[3] Tara has said that she was born on 4 March 1965^[1] whereas a news report carried by The Times of India in 2013 quoted she was 48, which implies she was born in c. 1965.^[2]

[1] "ತಾರಾ ಜನ್ಮ ರಹಸ್ಯ" [The Secret of Tara's Birth]. Kannada Prabha (in Kannada). 4 March 2017. Archived from the original on 6 March 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2017.

[toi1-2] 1 2 "Tara delivers a baby boy at 48!". The Times of India . 2 February 2013. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013.

[4] "Saif, Tara win National Best movie song - Sangliayana part 2 "Prethinda pappi kotta mummy" awards". Rediff. 13 July 2005. Retrieved 23 January 2009.
- "It's better late than never, says Tara". The Hindu . 15 July 2005. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 23 January 2009.

[5] Muthanna, Anjali (16 June 2013). "Tara officially resigns as Film Academy head". The Times of India. Retrieved 6 March 2017.

[6] "Tara to head Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy". The Times of India. 16 January 2017. ISSN 0971-8257.

[48thawardPDF-7] "48th National Film Awards (PDF)" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals . Retrieved 13 March 2012. For attempting to discuss the misuse of Shariat by opportunistic men and the manipulation of the testaments on "Nikah" and "Talaaq".

[48thaward-8] "48th National Film Awards". International Film Festival of India. Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2012.

[9] "Kumaraswamy happy with resurgent Kannada cinema". The Hindu . 31 August 2007. Archived from the original on 18 January 2008. Retrieved 23 January 2009.

[10] "Tara – from actress to director". Indiaglitz. 25 February 2005. Archived from the original on 16 May 2006. Retrieved 23 January 2009.

[11] "Another star turn for Tara?". Deccan Herald . 30 June 2002. Archived from the original on 2 December 2002. Retrieved 26 September 2023.

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v t e National Film Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
1967–1980	Nargis (1967) Sharada (1968) Madhabi Mukherjee (1969) Rehana Sultan (1970) Waheeda Rehman (1971) Sharada (1972) Nandini Bhaktavatsala (1973) Shabana Azmi (1974) Sharmila Tagore (1975) Lakshmi (1976) Smita Patil (1977) Sharada (1978) Shoba (1979) Smita Patil (1980)
1981–2000	Rekha (1981) Shabana Azmi (1982) Shabana Azmi (1983) Shabana Azmi (1984) Suhasini (1985) Monisha (1986) Archana (1987) Archana (1988) Sreelekha Mukherji (1989) Vijayashanti (1990) Moloya Goswami (1991) Dimple Kapadia (1992) Shobana (1993) Debashree Roy (1994) Seema Biswas (1995) Tabu (1996) Indrani Haldar and Rituparna Sengupta (1997) Shabana Azmi (1998) Kirron Kher (1999) Raveena Tandon (2000)
2001–2020	Shobana and Tabu (2001) Konkona Sen Sharma (2002) Meera Jasmine (2003) Tara (2004) Sarika (2005) Priyamani (2006) Umashree (2007) Priyanka Chopra (2008) Ananya Chatterjee (2009) Mitalee Jagtap Varadkar and Saranya Ponvannan (2010) Vidya Balan (2011) Usha Jadhav (2012) Geetanjali Thapa (2013) Kangana Ranaut (2014) Kangana Ranaut (2015) Surabhi Lakshmi (2016) Sridevi (2017) Keerthy Suresh (2018) Kangana Ranaut (2019) Aparna Balamurali (2020)
2021–present	Alia Bhatt and Kriti Sanon (2021) Nithya Menen and Manasi Parekh (2022) Rani Mukerji (2023)

v t e Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actress
1968–1980	Kalpana (1968) Kalpana (1969) Bharathi (1970) Kalpana (1971) L. V. Sharadha (1972) Aarathi (1973) Jayanthi & Nandini Bhaktavatsala (1974) no award (1975) Aarathi (1976) Jayanthi (1977) Aparna Narang (1978) Aarathi (1979) Vaishali Kasaravalli (1980)
1981–2000	Aarathi (1981) Jayanthi (1982) Padma Vasanthi (1983) Abhinaya (1984) Roopa Devi (1985) Jayanthi (1986) Geetha (1987) no award (1988) Saritha (1989) Sudha Rani (1990) Tara (1991) Sudha Rani (1992) Vinaya Prasad (1993) Lakshmi (1994) Shruti (1995) Prema (1996) Shilpa (1997) Jayamala (1998) Soundarya (1999) Tara (2000)
2001–present	Anu Prabhakar (2001) Soundarya (2002) Bhavana (2003) Radhika Kumaraswamy (2004) Shruti (2005) Pavitra Lokesh (2006) Tara (2007) Umashree (2008) Radhika Pandit (2009) Anu Prabhakar (2010) Ramya (2011) Bhavana (2012) Nirmala Chennappa (2013) Nivedhitha (2014) Lakshmi Gopalaswamy (2015) Sruthi Hariharan (2016)

v t e Filmfare Award for Best Kannada Actress
1972–1989	Kalpana (1972) Jayanthi (1973) Aarathi (1974) Aarathi (1975) Jayanthi (1976) Manjula (1977) Shobha (1978) Aarathi (1979) Ashwini (1980) Aarathi (1981) Saritha (1982) Suhasini (1983) Suhasini (1984) Saritha (1985) Saritha (1986) Saritha (1989)
1990–2009	Suhasini (1990) Malashri (1991) Sudha Rani (1992) Lakshmi (1993) Shruti (1995) Shilpa (1996) Suhasini (1997) Jayamala (1998) Tara (1999) Sudha Rani (2000) Prema (2001) Soundarya (2002) Meena (2003) Soundarya (2004) Vidhya Venkatesh (2005) Ramya (2006) Rashmi (2007) Radhika Pandit (2008) Radhika Pandit (2009)
2010–present	Radhika Pandit (2010) Ramya (2011) Priyamani (2012) Amulya (2013) Shwetha Srivatsav (2014) Parul Yadav (2015) Shraddha Srinath (2016) Sruthi Hariharan (2017) Manvitha Kamath (2018) Yagna Shetty (2020/2021) Chaithra J Achar (2022) Siri Ravikumar (2023)

Tara
Tara, IFFI (2005)

Member (nominated) of Karnataka Legislative Council
In office 10 August 2012 –2018
Children	1
Occupation	Actress, politician