Saligrama Chinnegowda Vijaya Raghavendra popularly known as Vijay Raghavendra is an Indian actor who appears predominantly in Kannada films. Referred to popularly as "Chinnari Mutha", Vijay is the son of producer S. A. Chinne Gowda and nephew of actor Dr. Rajkumar.
Vijay started his career as a child artist through the film Chalisuva Modagalu (1982) and won critical acclaims for his performances in Chinnari Mutha (1993) and Kotreshi Kanasu (1994). The latter film won him the National Film Award for Best Child Artist. His first lead role was in Ramoji Rao's production titled Ninagagi in 2002, which was a commercial success and one of the highest-grossing films of the year. However, his subsequent projects under-performed at the box office until he was noticed for his role in the T. S. Nagabharana's period drama Kallarali Hoovagi in 2006, followed by his home production film Sevanthi Sevanthi in the same year. For playing the role of Puttaraj Gawai in the biographical film Shivayogi Sri Puttayyajja in 2016, Vijay won the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor. In 2018, he made his directorial debut in Kismath (2018).
In 2013, by public vote, Vijay won the first season of the game show Bigg Boss Kannada – one of the Indian versions of Celebrity Big Brother, currently produced by Endemol India.
Early life Vijay Raghavendra was born in Bangalore, India to a family of film personalities. He began to act in films featuring his uncle Rajkumar in the lead. After having acted in about eight films as a child artist, Vijay underwent a formal training in acting at Chennai.
Film career
Child roles : 1980s–1990s In 1982, Vijay appeared in a small role as a child in Singeetham Srinivasa Rao's romantic drama Chalisuva Modagalu, starring his uncle Rajkumar, Ambika and his cousin Puneeth Rajkumar, credited as Master Lohith. He went on to appear in the 1989 movie Parashuram, alongside his cousin Puneeth Rajkumar in a song. After a brief gap, in 1991 he appeared in Aralida Hoovugalu, a remake of the Hindi film Jawani Diwani (1971), directed by Chi. Dattaraj and co-starred Shiva Rajkumar. His next movie Chinnari Mutha became a huge success and he became a household name in Karnataka. After that, he acted in many movies, including Kotreshi Kanasu, for which he won a National Award for his performance.
In 1993, Vijay, in his teens, appeared in three films: H. R. Bhargava's novel-based drama Jaga Mechida Huduga, Renuka Sharma's devotional Kollura Sri Mookambika, where he played the role of young Shankaracharya and the lead protagonist in the T. S. Nagabharana's Children's film Chinnari Mutha. The film won multiple laurels and awards upon release both at the state and national level. Vijay won the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Child Actor (Male) for his portrayal of an innocent Mutha who rises to great popularity through his good deeds. His popularity further rose in 1995 with the Nagathihalli Chandrashekar's film adaption of the novel Kotra Highschoolige Seriddu, titled Kotreshi Kanasu. Vijay played the title role of Kotreshi and went on to win the National Film Award for Best Child Artist for the year 1994–95. The other film he featured in was the biographical Sangeetha Sagara Ganayogi Panchakshara Gavai, directed by Chindodi Bangaresh. He again played the title role as the young and blind reformer Gawai and also portrayed the younger part of Narendra in the Hindi film Swami Vivekananda. Following this, he took a break from films and concentrated on his studies.
Adult roles: 2002–present His first adult role as an actor was in Ninagagi (2002), a box office blockbuster which brought him success on his first role opposite the debutant Radhika. The film was a remake of the Telugu hit Nuvve Kavali, which screened for over 100 days and created a record. Following this success, he signed two more movies in the same year, which could not succeed at the box office. He has acted in many movies since then. His notable movies are Khushi (2003), Rishi (2005), Kallarali Hoovagi (2006) and Ganesha Matte Banda (2008). Regarding his performance in Khushi, a critic noted, "Vijay is like Rahul Dravid of Indian cricket. He has churned out emotions very well".
Vijay did not have a single release in 2010. His much delayed films Shravana, Vinayaka Geleyara Balaga and the multi-starrer Kalla Malla Sulla released in 2011 with the latter two films earning favourable reviews. In 2012, he starred again in a multi-starrer comedy Snehitaru, which received a mixed response at the box office. In 2013, Vijay was a contestant and winner in the much talked about Kannada version of the reality show Bigg Boss in its first season, which started with 13 contestants. Vijay has been reportedly paid Rs. 5 million prize money. In 2016, he starred in the biographical Shivayogi Sri Puttayyajja and won the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor.
Personal life
Vijay is the eldest child of producer S. A. Chinne Gowda and his wife Jayamma. He has an elder sister and a younger brother Sriimurali, is a popular Kannada film actor. His paternal aunt Parvathamma Rajkumar was a prominent film producer and distributor in Kannada cinema. He is the cousin of actors Shiva Rajkumar, Raghavendra Rajkumar and Puneeth Rajkumar. On 26 August 2007, he married a Tulu-speaking girl, Spandana, the daughter of Assistant Commissioner of Police, B. K. Shivaram. The couple has a son named Shourya. Spandana died on 7 August 2023 from cardiac arrest in Bangkok.
In 2013, it was announced that he had joined other Bollywood and international celebrities in the TeachAids initiative, a state-of-the-art approach to worldwide HIV prevention, developed at Stanford University.
Filmography Films
Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1982 Chalisuva Modagalu Judge Credited as Master Raghavendra 1989 Parashuram Crowd member Special appearance in the song "Kadre Thappu Kondre Thappu" 1991 Aralida Hoovugalu Vijay's nephew 1993 Jaga Mechida Huduga Young Shivu Kollura Sri Mookambika Young Shankaracharya Chinnari Mutha Mutta Karnataka State Film Award for Best Child Actor (Male) 1994 Kotreshi Kanasu Kotreshi National Film Award for Best Child Artist 1995 Sangeetha Sagara Ganayogi Panchakshara Gavai Young Ganayogi Panchakshara Gawai 1998 Swami Vivekananda Young Narendra Hindi film 2002 Ninagagi Tarun Prema Qaidi Vijay Romeo Juliet Achyuth 2003 Heart Beats Vikky Preetisle Beku Ganesha Vikram Vikram Khushi Vijay Vijaya Simha Vijay 2004 Avale Nanna Gelathi Akash 2005 Rishi Hari 2006 Shri Shreekanth Sevanthi Sevanthi Devu Kallarali Hoovagi Jayadeva 2007 Ee Rajeev Gandhi Alla Rajiv Naanu Neenu Jodi Arjun 2008 Beladingalagi Baa Vivek Minchina Ota Kishore Ganesha Matte Banda Ganesha Mast Maja Maadi Ramu 2009 Nam Yajamanru Alok Karanji Viji IPC Section 300 Viji Gokula Raja 2010 Khiladi Krishna Krishna Aithalakkadi Himself Special appearance2011Shravana Vijay Vinayaka Geleyara Balaga Viju Vighneshwara Vijay Kalla Malla Sulla Raghu Naliyona Bara Rajeev 2012 Snehitaru Vittal Golmaal Chakravarthy 2013 Chella Pilli Hemanth Bhajarangi Himself Special appearance 2014 Brahmashri Narayana Guru Swamy Devotee Tulu filmParamashiva Raghu Fair & Lovely Abhimanyu 2015 Vamshodharaka Vishwa 2016 Shivayogi Sri Puttayyajja Puttaraj Gawai Karnataka State Film Award for Best ActorRanatantra Gautham Apoorva Vijay Raghavendra Nanna Ninna Prema Kathe Shankar 2017 Srikanta Tarun Chowka Surya Shetty Eradu Kanasu Muthu Happy New Year Raghavendra Toss Madhav Mass Leader Vijay Jani Jani 2018 Kismath Vijay Also directorRaja Loves RadheRajaParadesi C/o London Ram2019Yada Yada Hi DharmasyaDharma2020Malgudi Days Laxmi Narayana Malgudi2021Seetharam Benoy Case No. 18Seetharam 2023 Kaasina Sara Sundaresh Raaghu Raaghu Savitri Prashant O Manase Karthik Kadda Chithra Vijay Kshatriya Marichi Bhairav Naik2024Case of Kondana Wilson Jog 101 Vikram Grey Games Dr. Ram 2025Nimagondu Sihi Suddi Dr. Vikas Cameo appearanceFIR 6 to 6 Inspector Garuda Swapna Mantapa Shivakumar & Chanderaya Dual role Rippan Swamy Rippan Swamy 2026Second Case of SeetharamSeetharam Shreemati Sindhura RudrabhishekamDual role
Television Year Title Role Note(s) Ref. 1998 Attige Tele-serial 2013 Bigg Boss Kannada Self Winner; Season 1 2014 Nenapina Idiot-Box Radio jockey 2016–2018 Drama Juniors Judge 2017–2023 Dance Karnataka Dance Judge 2022 Dancing Champion Judge 2022 Super Queen Judge 2026RaakshasaSI Hanmappa
Discography Year Film Song Co Singer 2006 Sevanthi Sevanthi "Jaaji Mallige Node" Shreya Ghoshal 2008 Beladingalagi Baa "Baa Maara" Shamitha Malnad 2008 Ganesha Matthe Banda "Gopika" V. Manohar 2009 Namyajamanru "Ee Hrudaya" Nanditha 2011 Vinayaka Geleyara Balaga "Yaarivalee Hudugi" "Ganeshanige Garike" Naveen Krishna, Shashank Sheshagiri 2014 Fair & Lovely "Haage Ondu" Vijayaa Shankar 2016 Nanna Ninna Prema Kathe "Majabhhothagide" Anuradha Bhat 2016 Akira "Alisade Husiyagide" 2017 Toss "Yavude Sammandha" 2018 Aduva Gombe "Madarangee Madarangee" Anuradha Bhat2018 Kismath "Preethiyallodane" "Kismath Theme"
References
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