Udupi Rajagopalacharya Ananthamurthy was an Indian contemporary writer and critic in the Kannada language. He was born in Thirtahalli Taluk and is considered one of the pioneers of the Navya movement. In 1994, he became the sixth Kannada writer to be honored with the Jnanpith Award, the highest literary honour conferred in India. In 1998, he received the Padma Bhushan award from the Government of India. He was the vice-chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University in Kerala during the late 1980s. He was one of the finalists of Man Booker International Prize for the year 2013. He remained a fervent critic of nationalistic political parties until his death from kidney failure and cardiac arrest on 22 August 2014.
Kota Shivaram Karanth, also abbreviated as K. Shivaram Karanth, was an Indian polymath, who was a novelist in Kannada language, playwright and an ecological conservationist. Ramachandra Guha called him the "Rabindranath Tagore of Modern India, who has been one of the finest novelists-activists since independence". He was the third writer to be decorated with the Jnanpith Award for Kannada, the highest literary honor conferred in India. His son Ullas is an ecological conservationist.
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.
Kamala Kumari, known by her stage name Jayanthi, was an Indian actress known for her work in Kannada cinema and Tamil cinema. She was noted for her contributions to different genres of films from the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. She had appeared in over 500 films in various languages, including Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi and Marathi.
Panchakshari Hiremath is a writer and poet, short story writer, essayist, critic, translator, orator, editor and freedom fighter who writes in Kannada, Urdu and Hindi. In 2005, he won the Sahitya Akademi Prize for Translation.
Jayant Kaikini is a poet, short story writer, playwright, columnist in Kannada and a lyricist in Kannada cinema. He has so far published six anthologies of short stories, four books of poetry, three plays and a collection of essays. He is valued as one of the best writers in Kannada literature and has revolutionized the field by giving it a fresh new perspective. He has bagged many notable awards like 'Karnataka Sahitya Academy' award, Kusumagraj Award, Katha Award, DSC Prize for South Asian Literature amidst others. Kaikini is regarded as one of the most significant writers in Kannada today. Kaikini has been conferred the honorary doctorate from Tumkur University.
Vivek Shraya is a Canadian musician, writer, and visual artist. She currently lives in Calgary, Alberta, where she is an assistant professor in the creative writing program at the University of Calgary. As a trans femme of colour, Shraya often incorporates her identity in her music, writing, visual art, theatrical work, and films. She is a seven-time Lambda Literary Award finalist, and considered a Great Canadian Filmmaker of the Future by CBC Arts.
Ceylon Manohar, popular name of A. E. Manoharan also known as Surangani Manohar, was a pop singer and actor. He has played roles in Tamil films and other Sri Lankan Tamil works. Manoharan was 73 when he died in Chennai of age-related ailments.
Jai Jagadish is an Indian actor, director and producer in the Kannada film industry. Starting his career as an actor in Phalitamsha (1976), he went on to feature in over 300 films as an actor. In 1998, he turned producer for the film Bhoomi Thayiya Chochchala Maga. His debut directorial film was Madana. Some of the notable films of Jai Jagadish as an actor include Gaali Maathu (1981), Benkiyalli Aralida Hoovu (1983), Bandhana (1984), Madhuve Madu Tamashe Nodu (1986) and Garjane (1981), among others. His film Kothigalu Saar Kothigalu won the Filmfare Award for Best film. He is the President of Wakayama Karate-Do India.
Balaji Tangali Lalitha Naik is an Indian social activist, politician, writer, film actress who was the minister of Kannada, Culture, and Department of Women & Child Welfare of Karnataka. Naik has also served as an MLC (1986-1992) and MLA (1994-1999). She won the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award in 1991. She is also known for leading important literary, social and language-rights movements such as Bandaya movement and Gokak agitation.
Komal Jha is an Indian movie actress and writer. She established a career in Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and now Hindi film industries and is known for her career transformation from being a civil engineer to an actress, and for her roles in Chinna Cinema. In addition to acting, she participates in stage shows and endorses a few brands, predominantly in South India. Jha made her acting debut with the 2009 Bollywood movie 3 Idiots while attending college and her first Malayalam movie release in 2010, 24 Hrs. In the same year Jha left for Dubai and took a job with an international construction firm located in Dubai, UAE. In 2011, Jha was back to India for Nimbe Huli and Ramachari. Jha was also appearing in television commercials and print ads for some brands such as Axis Bank, BNP Paribas Mutual Funds and Moti Soap during this time.
Ondu Motteya Kathe is a 2017 Kannada-language romantic comedy film written and directed by debutant Raj B. Shetty who also appears in the lead role, along with Usha Bhandary, Shailashree, Prakash Tuminadu, Amrutha Naik, Shreya Anchan, Vj Vineeth, Rahul Amin, Deepak Rai Panaje and Ramdas playing supporting roles. The movie was released on 7 July 2017 to positive reviews. The Hindu called it the "Kannada film of the year". The film won the Filmfare Award for Best Film – Kannada. The budget of the film was estimated to be at 30 lakhs INR and the movie was a commercial success by collecting 2.5 crores
Raj B. Shetty is an Indian actor, director, and screenwriter who works in Kannada film industry. He gained recognition through his directorial debut, Ondu Motteya Kathe (2017), which was a huge commercial success. He further cemented it with Gubbi Mele Brahmastra (2019), Mayabazar 2016 (2020), and Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana (2021), which got widespread acclaim and is now considered to be one of the best films of Kannada cinema.
Sudheer was an Indian actor and politician known for his work in Kannada cinema. His noted performances came in films such as Chalagara (1981), Preethi Vathsalya (1984), Lorry Driver (1987), Bandha Muktha (1987), Jana Nayaka (1988), Mathru Vathsalya (1988), Looti Gang (1994) and Lady Commissioner (1997).
Sundar Raj is an Indian actor in the Kannada film industry (Sandalwood). Some of his notable films include Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane, Ondanondu Kaladalli, Chandanada Gombe, Kurigalu Saar Kurigalu (2001), Mathadana (2001), Aakasmika (1993).
Ghachar Ghochar is a 2015 psychological drama novella written by Kannada author Vivek Shanbhag and was translated into English by Srinath Perur. Set in Bangalore, the book is about an unnamed narrator who reminisces about his dysfunctional family's rags to riches story which results in troubling behavioural changes in each of them. The title is a made-up phrase, invented by the narrator's wife and her brother, which means "tangled up beyond repair".
Pratibha Nandakumar is an Indian poet, journalist, feminist, columnist and activist who works in Kannada and English. She is considered as one of the pioneers of modern woman's poetry in Kannada literature. For her work Kavadeyaata, Pratibha was awarded the Karnataka Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry in 1998.
Sudhakaran Ramanthali is a Malayalam language writer and translator from Kerala, India. He has translated 27 works from Kannada to Malayalam. He received many awards including Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award for Translation and Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize.
Orchestra Mysuru is a 2023 Indian Kannada-language musical drama film directed by Sunil Mysuru and starring Poornachandra Mysore, Rajalakshmi Murthy and Dileep Raj. The music was composed by Raghu Dixit.
