Bommasandra Srinivasaiah Suryanarayana Murthy (16 March 1933 – 26 December 1985), known by his screen nameUday Kumar, is a Indian actor and producer in Kannada cinema. Along side Kalyan Kumar and Rajkumar, he was one of the Kumarathrayaru (meaning "the three Kumars") of Kannada cinema.[1] He was also a writer, having written numerous dramas and books.[2] He performed a broad range of roles and worked with prominent actors of his time.[3] Early in his career, he portrayed heroic characters, later transitioning to more nuanced, villainous roles, often opposing Rajkumar's heroic persona in historical and mythological films.[4]
Uday Kumar was born into a Brahmin family on either 5 or 16 March 1933; sources vary on the date.[5] He was the second of four children and the only son of B. S. Srinivasaiah and Sharadamma, alongside his three sisters. The family's ancestors originated in Andhra Pradesh but relocated to Karnataka approximately 200 years before Udaykumar's birth.[citation needed]
He completed his primary education in the villages of Helaine and Muthanallur near Sarjapura in Bangalore and pursued secondary education in Anekal.[citation needed] During this time, he participated in school cultural activities and contests.[citation needed]
After an unsuccessful attempt at the matriculation exams, Uday Kumar married Kamalamma at age 20. He then worked as a physical education teacher at a school in Anekal before moving to Bangalore on a friend's advice. There, he joined the theatre company of Gubbi Veeranna, beginning his acting career.[6]
Film career
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In 1954, while working on the script for Bhagyodaya, the screenwriterKanagal Prabhakar Shastry sought a lead actor for the film.[citation needed] Uday Kumar was performing as Buddha on stage in Mandya with Gubbi Veeranna's theatre troupe. Impressed by his performance, S. K. Bhagavan, Shastry's assistant, offered him the lead role, and he was cast after a successful screen test.[citation needed] Shastry also gave him the screen name Uday Kumar, inspired by the film's title and the production banner, Udaya Productions.[7]
Uday Kumar was a proponent of the unification of Kannadigas as a leader and orator. He worked alongside Ma. Ramamurthy (the designer of the Kannada flag), Aa. Na. Kru (A. N. Krishna Rao), Thirumale Shriranga Tatacharya, Ta. Su. Shama Rao, Dr. Ha. Ma. Nayak, Ta. Ra. Su., and others dedicated to the welfare of the Kannada language and the people of Karnataka. Through his travels, writings, and public speeches, Udaykumar contributed to the cultural and linguistic identity of Karnataka.[citation needed]
Uday Kumar founded Udaya Kalanikethana, a training institute for theatrical arts and film acting, to promote the arts. He also supported underprivileged professional theatre organizations. Beginning in 1960, he dedicated at least one week each month to performing plays across Karnataka.[citation needed]
In 2005, on what would have been Uday Kumar's 73rd birthday, the registered charitable trust Pavanasutha Kesari Kalaa Shalaa was founded during a cultural event titled Udaya-73 Ondu Savinenapu.[citation needed] The event took place in his birthplace, AnekalBangalore. The trust, established by Mr. Vikram Udaykumar, focuses on social and cultural services, including a formal educational institution called P.S.M. School, in Anekal, and a cultural school, Kalaashaala, which provides training in classical music and performing arts, including Bharatanatyam. The trust’s activities include formal education, nurturing rural talent in performing arts, and organizing state-level drama competitions.[citation needed]
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