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Udaykumar
Bommasandra Srinivasaiah Suryanarayana Murthy (16 March 1933 – 26 December 1985), known by his screen name Udaykumar, was an Indian actor and producer in Kannada cinema. He, along with Kalyan Kumar and Rajkumar, were called the Kumarathrayaru (meaning the three Kumars) of Kannada cinema.[1] He authored many dramas and books.[2] He performed a broad range of roles and worked with all of the prominent actors of his day.[3] He portrayed heroic characters early in his career and then played more nuanced villainous characters, often countering Rajkumar's heroic persona in historicals and mythologicals.[4] Early lifeUdaykumar was born into a Brahmin family on 5 March 1933[5], although some sources indicate 16 March 1933 as an alternative date. His father was B. S. Srinivasaiah, and his mother was Sharadamma. Udaykumar was the second of four children in the family, which included three sisters. The family's roots trace back to Andhra Pradesh; their ancestors relocated to Karnataka approximately 200 years prior to Udaykumar's birth. Udaykumar completed his primary education in the villages of Heelalige and Muthanallur, located near Sarjapura village in Bangalore, and he pursued his secondary education in Anekal. During this period, he actively participated in various cultural activities and contests at his school. Following his unsuccessful attempts at the matriculation exams, Udaykumar married Kamalamma at the age of 20. Subsequently, he began working as a physical education teacher at a school in Anekal. He later moved to Bangalore city upon the advice of a friend and joined the theatre company of Gubbi Veeranna, where he embarked on his career as an actor.[6] Film career
In 1954, story and screenwriter Kanagal Prabhakar Shastry began working on the script of Bhagyodaya. During this time, Udaykumar played Buddha on stage in Mandya with Gubbi Veeranna's theatre troupe, when Shastry's assistant during the time, S. K. Bhagavan, offered him the lead role in the film. Udaykumar was cast in the part a few days after a successful screen test with Shastry. Shastry also gave Udaykumar his screen name after the film's title and the banner it was being produced under – Udaya Productions.[7] "Gandugali" Udaykumar was in 193 feature films which include 171 in Kannada, 15 in Telugu, 6 in Tamil, and one in Hindi. He won many regional and national awards for best performance, especially in Kannada films. Udayakumar stood for the objective of "Kannadigas unification" as a leader and orator. He took the front line with leaders like Ma. Ramamurthy (the designer of the Kannada flag), Aa. Na. Kru A. N. Krishna Rao, Thirumale Shriranga Tatacharya (of the Karnataka Navodaya movement), Ta. Su. Shama Rao, Dr. Ha. Ma. Nayak, Ta. Ra. Su, and many more who had fought for the well-being of the language Kannada and the people of Karnataka. He contributed with his travels, write-ups, and public speeches throughout the state. He established "Udaya Kalanikethana," a training school for Theatrical Arts and Film Acting, and actively supported underprivileged professional theatre organizations. Beginning in 1960, he performed in plays across Karnataka for at least one week each month, showcasing his dedication to the arts. In 2005, on Udaykumar's 73rd birthday, the registered charitable trust "Pavanasutha Kesari Kalaa Shalaa" was founded during a cultural event titled Udaya-73 Ondu Savinenapu. The event took place in his birthplace, Anekal, Bangalore. The trust, established by Mr. Vikram Udaykumar, is committed to providing social and cultural services. It has set up a formal educational institution called "P.S.M. School" in Anekal and a cultural school named "Kalaashaala," which offers training in classical music and performing arts, including Bharatanatyam. The trust’s activities encompass formal education, nurturing rural talent in performing arts, and organizing state-level drama competitions, among other initiatives aimed at fostering cultural and artistic growth. Filmography
Awards
References
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