| 4 | | Phenomenally successful Kannada comedian. Born in Arasikere, Karnataka. Was sold as a child to adoptive parents to pay his father’s medical bills. Lost his hearing as a youth and dropped out of school. Acted in the play Shri Rama Paduka Pattabhishekha (1929); then apprenticed to painter of stage backdrops and later a professional sign painter. Returned to the stage as an actor in Harmonium Master Giri Gowda’s group, the Lakshmasani Nataka company, and in Neelkantappa’s Gowrishankar Nataka Mandali before joining Gubbi Veeranna’s theatre company. His presence was almost mandatory in Kannada films from the early 40s where, adapting the folk form Yakshagana, he formed a bumbling comedy duo with his constant sidekick Narasimhraju. Redefined the tone of ‘comedy relief’ by adding his own brand of ineffectual villainy. Also wrote some plays and scripts; started the Abhimana Studio in Bangalore (1968). Also starred in some Tamil films but did not succeed because of his difficulty with the language. |
| | 4 | Phenomenally successful Kannada comedian. Born in Arasikere, Karnataka. Was sold as a child to adoptive parents to pay his father’s medical bills. Lost his hearing as a youth and dropped out of school. Acted in the play Shri Rama Paduka Pattabhishekha (1929); then apprenticed to painter of [[stage backdrops]] and later a professional sign painter. Returned to the stage as an actor in Harmonium Master Giri Gowda’s group, the Lakshmasani Nataka company, and in Neelkantappa’s Gowrishankar Nataka Mandali before joining [[Gubbi Veeranna]]’s theatre company. His presence was almost mandatory in Kannada films from the early 40s where, adapting the folk form Yakshagana, he formed a bumbling comedy duo with his constant sidekick Narasimhraju. Redefined the tone of ‘comedy relief’ by adding his own brand of ineffectual villainy. Also wrote some plays and scripts; started the Abhimana Studio in Bangalore (1968). Also starred in some Tamil films but did not succeed because of his difficulty with the language. |