Anant Nag

Anant Nag
Born Anant Nagarakatte (अनन्त नागरकट्टे)
September 4, 1948 (1948-09-04) (age 63)
Uttara Kannada, Karnataka, India
Spouse Gayathri Nagarkatte

Anant Nagarkatte (Konkani: अनन्त नागरकट्टे, Kannada: ಅನಂತ್ ನಾಗ್ born September 4, 1948) popularly known as Anant Nag (Kannada: ಅನಂತನಾಗ್) is an actor and politician from Karnataka, India. He is considered to be one of the all time greatest actors in the Kannada film industry with a vast number of commercially successful movies. As a result, he is popularly known as an actor with no-failures, by critics. In addition to Kannada movies, he has acted in Marathi, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Hindi movies. He has also acted in Malgudi Days, directed by his younger brother Shankar Nag based on the stories by R.K.Narayan. His work was much appreciated by critics at that time. He is fluent in Kannada, Konkani, Marathi, Hindi and with a good understanding of Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. The versatile natural acting coupled with the style of speaking (accent of southern kannada with a tint of coastal touch) made him one of the most successful actors in Kannada cinema.

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Early life

Anant Nag, one of the greatest Indian actors, was born to Anandi and Sadanand Nagarkatte. He had his early education under the aegis of Ananda Ashrama in Dakshina Kannada district and Chitrapura matha in Uttara Kannada. His mother tongue is Konkani and he belongs to the Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin (CSB) community. He was sent to Mumbai for onward education and got involved with amateur Marathi theatre for eight years.[1]

He started out doing amateur theatre in Marathi and Kannada. Shyam Benegal introduced him into Hindi cinema, in his 1973 film Ankur. Anant Nag acted in many of Shyam Benegal's movies after that. Well-known for his mainstream Kannada films, Nag is active in alternative Indian cinema.

His entry into Kannada films was through legendary G. V. Iyer's Hamsageethe.[2] Hamsageethe is one of the most critically acclaimed of all his movies which is about trysts of a learner whose greatest search is finding the right Guru.

Nag and fellow South Indian popular actress Lakshmi have been known as an all-time greatest pair in Kannada movies.

Although he began his career as an actor in artistic movies, became most popular in comedies due to his versatile acting and natural sense of humour. Ananth Nag kept re-inventing himself with each era. In the 1970s and 80s, he was the darling of the middle-class with his natural acting. He also dabbled in television during this period. In the 90s, he experimented with negative roles (Shanti Kranti) and accepted character roles.

With greatest hits in the films like Ganeshana Maduve, Gauri Ganesha, Udbava, Undoohoda Konduhoda, Beladingala Baale, Hasyaratna Ramakrishna, Yarigu Helbedi, dairya lakshmi, he has been noted for his abilities. These days, he appears in supporting roles in Kannada movies (for example, blockbuster films like Mungaru Male) and he has been the favourite choice of most popular directors of Kannada cinema. He is equally popular in supportive roles amongst dignified viewers across the Karnataka. His recent movie Eredane maduve has been a huge hit where he acted in a lead role with Suhasini Maniratnam.

Nag acted in the movie Anahat and it drew rave reviews. Marathi film director Amol Palekar found Nag's sensitive depiction of the king's dilemmas to have greatly enhanced the multifaceted complexities of the film. The character portrayed by Nag has depth and dimension, powerfully drawing you into the core of the story.

Though he is one of the most influential men both from a film and political point of view, he has often been regarded as the finest, the simplest and polite personality. His appearance in front of media or appearances for publicity have hardly been noticed and the association of his name with any controversy has hardly been reported, either with his film or with political career. For these reasons, Nag is considered as one of the most respectable personalities in the real life. Now he is one of the most sought-after actor in Kannada cinemas.

Political career

Staying in Mumbai, in the heady days of Socialism, Ananth Nag was a strong supporter of reformist movement. He identified himself with the Janatha Party and was the star-campaigner for Janatha Party in 1983, 1985 and 1989 elections. He won from Malleshwaram constituency in 1993 and served as a Minister for BDA in the J H Patel's cabinet. His tenure was uneventful, with him being criticized for not catering the infrastructure needs of Bangalore.

When Ramakrishna Hegde, supposedly his mentor was expelled from Janatha Dal, he stayed within Janatha Dal, leading to speculations of divide between the Mentor and Mentee.

In 2004, he contested a very fierce assembly election from Janata Dal (Secular) where he was pitched against the then Chief minister of Karnataka, S. M. Krishna from Indian National Congress, alongside fellow actor Mukhyamantri Chandru from Bharatiya Janata Party in the Chamrajpet constituency in Bangalore. However, S.M. Krishna won the election. But, Krishna, disappointed for not being able to win the majority opted not to lead the party and soon became the governor of Maharashtra.

Anant Nag can be placed in the category of New India Cinema Actors. Proficient in delineating complex psychological characters, Anant Nag has the image of the boy-next-door. His persona compliments it and he has done justice to it by taking on and doing a good job of presenting characters right out of reality.

Selected filmography

===Kannada===krishna patil thir fan

Year Film Role Director Notes
Sankalpa Nanjaraja Urs
Janma Janmada Anubandha Shankar Nag
1989 Gagana (film) Dorai-Bhagawan
1975 Hamsageethe G.V.Iyer
1977 Bayalu Daari Dorai-Bhagawan
1978 Premayana Mohan Geetapriya Produced By M Prabhakar, Music By Vijay Bhaskar; Co-actors: Aarathi, Vadiraj
1979 Naa Ninna Bidalaare Krishna Vijay Horror movie
Mududida taavare Aralithu
1983 Benkiya Bale Dorai-Bhagawan
Ibbani karagithu
Makkaliralavva mane tumba
1989 Chandanada Gombe Dorai-Bhagawan
Ganeshana Maduve
Yarigu Helbedi
Challenge Gopala Krishna
Ravana Rajyadali Rakshasharu
1990 Udbhava
Ramarajyadalli Rakshasaru D.Rajendra Babu Produced By K.C.N.Mohan, Music By M.Ranga Rao; Co-Actors: Shankarnag, Shashikumar, Gayitri, Ambarish, Rameshbhat, Geeta
Avasthe
1985 Accident Shankar Nag
Phaniyamma
Brahma vishnu maheshwara
Beladingala Baale Sunilkumar Desai
Ranadheera V.Ravichandran
Gowri Ganesha
1981 Minchina Ota Tony Shankar Nag
Bara M. S. Sathyu
Matadana T.N.Seetharam
Mouni
Ganesha Subrahmanya
Ondu Cinema Kathe
Maneli Ili Beedili Huli
2006 Mungaru Male Yograj Bhat
2008 Gaalipata Yograj Bhat
Naanenu Madlilla
1991 Shanti Kranti V. Ravichandran Co-Actors: Ravichandiran, Ramesh Aravind, Khushboo, Juhi Chawla, Ambareesh; Produced By N Veeraswamy
Shanti Nivasa
Naarada Vijaya
1983 Kaamana Billu with Rajkumar
Raamapurada Raavana
Yaarige saalathe sambhla
Sukha samsaarakke hanneradu sootragalu
Daiva Shakti
Aruna Raaga
Hendathiga Helabadi
1994 Nishkarsha Sunilkumar Desai with Vishnuvardhan
2009 Mr.Garagasa (film) Dinesh Babu
2008 Aramane
2007 Sajni
Anupama
1978 Naa Ninna Bidalare
Gowri Ganesha
Mathe hadithu Kogile with Vishnuvardhan
Ganesha I Love U
Brahma Vishnu Maheshwara with ambarish
Parameshi Prema Prasanga
Hosa Mane Aliya
Kudure Mukha
Mathu Tappada Maga acted alongside Rajinikanth
1977 Anuroopa P. Lankesh
Gayathri Maduve
Sedina Hakki with prabakar
Mareyada Haadu
2010 Pancharangi Yograj Bhat
2010 Eradane Maduve Dinesh Baboo
Nodi Swami Nav Irode Heege Shankar Nag
Golmal Radhakrishna
Golmal Radhakrishna Part 2
Hollywood acted alongside Upendra
Mattondu Maduvena..?? Dinesh Baabu
Paramathma Yograj Bhat
Rame Gouda Vs Krishna Reddy
Neenello Naanalle acted alongside Vishnuvardhan

Tamil

Marathi

Hindi

End in the tele serial Malgudi Days directed by his younger brother Shankar Nag. Eradene maduve

Malayalam

Telugu

  1. Anugraham
  2. shanti-kranti
  3. Balu-ABCDEFG
  4. Ratri
  5. Sankharavam (2004)
  6. Premalekhalu (1977)

Notes

External links

krishna patil is their fan