Kalyan Kumar (7 June 1928 – 1 August 1999) was an Indian actor, as well as an occasional film director and producer, who worked primarily in Kannada and Tamil cinema. Making his acting debut in the mythological drama Natashekara (1954), Kalyan Kumar went on to star in over 200 films in a span of over five decades. He was one of the most sought-after actors in the 1950s through 1970s for lead roles.
Kalyan Kumar has the credit of being the first ever Kannada actor to star in a colour film in Amarashilpi Jakanachari (1963). Alongside Kumar, the 1960s and 1970s in Kannada cinema was dominated by two other actors, Rajkumar and Udayakumar. At a time when actors had a tough time establishing themselves, Kalyan Kumar being successful not only in Kannada cinema, also made a mark in Tamil cinema. Kalyan Kumar along with Udaykumar, Rajkumar were called as "Kumara Thrayaru" (The Kumar Trio) of the Kannada cinema.Trivia about Kannada Cinema
Early life Kalyan Kumar was born as Chokkanna in a Tamil speaking Iyengar family on 7 June 1928 in Melukote and raised Bangalore, in the erstwhile Princely State of Mysore of British India. His parents wanted him to be a doctor. But passion for acting brought him to Kannada film land. Born as Chokkanna into a middle-class family, Kalyan Kumar became known for his lavishness and sophistication.
Known for sophisticated portrayal of roles he played the hero against J. Jayalalithaa in Maavana Magalu in 1965 and in 1966. The triumvirate had acted in Bhoodaana which was a hit in 1962. He had also acted in first full-length colour film in Kannada Amarashilpi Jakanachari, in which he played the role of Jakanachari, a historical figure in sculpture.
Career Kumar set out to Bombay (now Mumbai) to pursue a career as an actor and approached several film producers to get his first break. Unsuccessful there, he left for Madras (now Chennai) in search for opportunities. He was first cast in the Kannada-language film Natashekhara which released in 1954. He was cast opposite Sandhya and Vidyavathy, the mother and aunt respectively of actress and politician J. Jayalalithaa. He was christened Kalyan Kumar after the name of his mother's character in the film, Kalyaniamma. The film's plot drew a parallel between Kumar's unsuccessful tryst with Hindi cinema and an actor's life who transforms himself to attain fame and glory after the release of his first film.
Kumar would go on to appear in several films depicting social conflict. Bhagya Chakra, Mutthaide Bhagya and Sadarame, all of which released in 1956 fell in this genre. In the latter film, Kumar played a thief. His Bettada Kalla (1957), a remake of the Tamil film Malaikkallan (1954), was a commercial success. Kumar then appeared in social-comedies such as Premada Putri (1957) and Rayara Sose (1957). In Bhookailasa (1958), he played Narada alongside Rajkumar's Ravana. In Manege Banda Mahalakshmi (1959), he appeared alongside his future wife Revathi. In the social-drama Bhoodana (1962), set on the backdrop of Bhoodan movement, he starred alongside Rajkumar and Udaykumar; Kumar played Lachcha, the son of Rajkumar's Dasanna, a Hindu who converts to Christianity in search of a better life. In Thayi Karulu that released the same year, Kumar played dual role of a father and son. While in the remainder of the 1960s, he appeared in films such as Subba Shastry (1966), in which he played a priest; Puttanna Kanagal's Belli Moda (1967), both of which were major commercial successes, he also tried his hand in film production. (1966), Kallu Sakkare (1967) and Pravasi Mandira (1968) all turned out to be commercial failures. Which caused his film career to decline.
He would go on to appear in successful films such as Mavana Mgalu, Arishina Kunkuma, Bedi Bandavalu, Kathaa Sangama, and Kaleju Ranga. In G. V. Iyer's 1962 film, Bhoodaana, Kumar appeared alongside Rajkumar and Udayakumar, the only film that featured the trio together. He acted with all the prominent heroines of his time - B Saroja Devi, Sahukar Janaki, Kalpana, Jayanti, Bharati, Aarathi, and Roopadevi.
He acted in several films made in the 1960s by B. Vittalacharya as well as the Kannada version of bi-lingual films made by Nagendra Rao and B R Panthulu. He was a regular actor in the early G V Iyer films like Bhoodana, Tayi karalu, Lawyer magalu and Bangari.
He had very few films to his credit during 1970s namely College Ranga and Katha Sangama, Tulasi to name a few. He bounced back during early 1980s through Successful film Taayiya Nudi and played successful character roles in Simha Gharjane, Shubha Muhurtha, Lakshmi Katakasha, Marali Goodige.
He acted in many Tamil films. His Tamil film Nenjil Oru Alayam was later made in Hindi as Dil Ek Mandir with Rajendra Kumar. As he was gaining popularity in Tamil filmdom, he started acting in more of Tamil movies. But, the regional politics reigned over his acting talents.
He was married to Kannada film heroine Revathi. He also produced and directed stage plays like Ramu Nanna Thamma and Chikamma, many of which were written by his wife. His son Bharath Kalyan is a television actor who acted mainly in Tamil serials. Bharath Kalyan has recently rendered his voice for a character artist in Imaikkaa Nodigal (2018).
Filmography Please refine and expand this Filmography.
Kannada films YearFilmRoleNotes1954 Natashekhara First lead role 1956 Ohileshwara Bhagya Chakra Mutthaide Bhagya Sadarame 1957 Rayara Sose Aravind Bettada Kalla Premada Putri 1958 Bhookailasa Narada 1959 Manege Banda Mahalakshmi 1961 Vijayanagarada Veeraputhra 1962 Gaali Gopura Mohan Daiva Leele Thayi Karulu Bhoodana Lachha Devasundari Veera Pratapa 1963 Amarashilpi Jakanachari Jakanachari Lawyer Magalu Bangari 1964 Chinnada Gombe Raja Mane Aliya Somashekhar Annapoorna Mohan Ram Cameo1965 Mavana Magalu Balarajana Kathe Beratha Jeeva Dr. Rajashekhar Nanna Kartavya Sundar 1966 Subba Sastry Love in Bangalore 1967 Muddu Meena Belli Moda Mohan Rao Premakkoo Permitte Diwakar Kallu Sakkare 1968 Bedi Bandavalu Arunodhaya Anna Thamma Manku Dinne Gopi Mysore Tonga Pravasi Mandira Anandakanda Attegondukala Sosegondukala Mamathe Naane Bhagyavati Savira Mettilu Released in 2006 with Ramakrishna completing his role 1969 Kannu Muchale Mukunda Chandra Odahuttidavaru Anand Niraparadhi 1970 Aparajithe Arishina Kumkuma Raja "Raju" N. K. 1971 Papa Punya Sedina Kidi Amara Bharathi 1976 Katha Sangama Sadanand Tulasi College Ranga Professor Devayya 1977 Banashankari Mugdha Manava Udugore Subhashaya 1978 Anuraha Bandhana 1979 Maralu Sarapani 1980 Mother Mane Madadi Makkalu Not Released Chithrakoota Not Released 1983 Nagabekamma Nagabeku Simha Gharjane S.P. Chandrashekhar Chinnadantha Maga Ramachandra Rao Thayiya Nudi 1984 Avala Antharanga Police Papanna Guru Bhakti Shubha Muhurta Marali Goodige 1985 Kiladi Aliya Lakshmi Kataksha Jayanna Thayi Thande 1986 Thavaru Mane Usha Africadalli Sheela Rao Bahaddur 1987 Thaliya Aane 1988 Oorigitta Kolli 1989 Thaligagi 1990 Bannada Gejje Peter 1992 Mana Gedda Maga Late Release 1995 Sangeetha Sagara Ganayogi Panchakshara Gavai Cameo Kavya Rajaram 1996 Hetthavaru Shivappa 1999 Sambhrama Bhaskar
Tamil films YearFilmRoleNotes1960 Kadavulin Kuzhandhai 1961 Thayilla Pillai Somu 1962 Nenjil Or Aalayam Dr. Murali Paasam Raghu Azhagu Nila Seeman Petra Selvangal Thendral Veesum 1963 Neengadha Ninaivu Kadavulai Kanden Mani Osai Nenjam Marappathillai Chinna Zamindar Raja / Anand Yarukku Sontham 1965 Thayin Karunai 1974 Avalukku Nihar Avale 1985 Pudhu Yugam Bhaskar 1988 Sakkarai Pandhal 1992 Rasukutty Periyapannai 1993 Amaravathi Balasubramaniam Gokulam Kannan's father 1994 Jaihind Chief Minister Maindhan Ramasamy Mudaliar
Other language films YearFilmRoleLanguageNotes1986Sri Vemana CharitraTelugu1993Prema SamaramTelugu1996Shri Krishnarjuna VijayamTelugu 1994 The City R. S. Pandiyan Malayalam
Television YearFilmRoleLanguageNotes 1998–1999 Akshaya Veeraraghavan Tamil
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