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|1995 || ''[[Operation Antha]]'' || || Kannada || || Cameo Appearance
|1995 || ''[[Operation Antha]]'' || || Kannada || || Cameo Appearance
|-
|-
|1998 || ''[[A (1998 Kannada film)|A]]'' || Surya || Kannada & Telugu || 25 weeks || Highest Grossing [[Kannada cinema|Kannada film]] of 1998
|1998 || ''[[A (1998 Kannada film)|A]]'' || Surya || Kannada & Telugu || 25 weeks ||
|-
|-
|1998 || ''[[Kanyadanam (1998 film)|Kanyadanam]]'' || || [[Telugu language|Telugu]] || 100 days<ref name="He's 'different'">{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.cscsarchive.org:8081/MediaArchive/art.nsf/%28docid%29/F4C73A8E8DD5F735E5256B8A0020E922 |title=He's 'different' |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> || Debut movie in Telugu, a box office success.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://entertainment.oneindia.in/telugu/movies/kanyadanam.html |title=Kanyadaanam 1999 Cast and Crew |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref>
|1998 || ''[[Kanyadanam (1998 film)|Kanyadanam]]'' || || [[Telugu language|Telugu]] || 100 days<ref name="He's 'different'">{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.cscsarchive.org:8081/MediaArchive/art.nsf/%28docid%29/F4C73A8E8DD5F735E5256B8A0020E922 |title=He's 'different' |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> || Debut movie in Telugu.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://entertainment.oneindia.in/telugu/movies/kanyadanam.html |title=Kanyadaanam 1999 Cast and Crew |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref>
|-
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|1999 || ''[[Upendra (film)|Upendra]]'' || Naanu || Kannada & Telugu || 25 weeks<ref name="He's 'different'"/> || Highest Grossing film of 1999<ref name="He's 'different'"/><br> The film starred Bollywood actress [[Raveena Tandon]].
|1999 || ''[[Upendra (film)|Upendra]]'' || Naanu || Kannada & Telugu || 25 weeks<ref name="He's 'different'"/> || The film starred Bollywood actress [[Raveena Tandon]] opposite Upendra.
|-
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|2000 || ''[[Preethse]]'' || Chandru || Kannada || 25 weeks || Highest Grossing film of 2000<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://m.rediff.com/movies/2000/jan/31preet.htm |title=Kannada Blockbuster Preethse - Mindless Entertainment! |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref><br> The film starred the Bollywood actress [[Sonali Bendre]].
|2000 || ''[[Preethse]]'' || Chandru || Kannada || 25 weeks<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://m.rediff.com/movies/2000/jan/31preet.htm |title=Kannada Blockbuster Preethse - Mindless Entertainment! |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> || The film starred Bollywood actress [[Sonali Bendre]] opposite Upendra.
|-
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|2000 || ''Oke Maata'' || Sooryam || Telugu || ||
|2000 || ''Oke Maata'' || Sooryam || Telugu || ||
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|2002 || ''Neethone Vuntanu'' || Ravi || Telugu || ||
|2002 || ''Neethone Vuntanu'' || Ravi || Telugu || ||
|-
|-
|2002 || ''[[Super Star (2002 film)|Super Star]]'' || Praveen,<br>Deependra || Kannada & Telugu || 50 days ||
|2002 || ''[[Super Star (2002 film)|Super Star]]'' || Praveen,<br>Deependra || Kannada & Telugu || 50 days || Dubbed as ''Stupid'' in Telugu.
|-
|-
|2002 || ''[[Nagarahavu (2002 film)|Nagarahavu]]'' || Ajay || Kannada || ||
|2002 || ''[[Nagarahavu (2002 film)|Nagarahavu]]'' || Ajay || Kannada || ||
Line 156: Line 156:
|2003 || ''[[Kutumba (2003 film)|Kutumba]]''||Vijay || Kannada || 125 days<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.viggy.com/english/current_kutumba125days.asp |title=Kutumba marks successful 125 days |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> ||
|2003 || ''[[Kutumba (2003 film)|Kutumba]]''||Vijay || Kannada || 125 days<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.viggy.com/english/current_kutumba125days.asp |title=Kutumba marks successful 125 days |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> ||
|-
|-
|2003 || ''[[Rakta Kanneeru]]'' || Mohan || Kannada & Telugu || 120 days || Highest Grossing film of 2003<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.viggy.com/english/current_2003_review.asp |title=2003 - yearly roundup of kannada films |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref>
|2003 || ''[[Rakta Kanneeru]]'' || Mohan || Kannada & Telugu || 120 days<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.viggy.com/english/current_2003_review.asp |title=2003 - yearly roundup of kannada films |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> ||
|-
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|2003 || ''[[Gokarna (2003 film)|Gokarna]]'' || Sidda || Kannada || 25 weeks<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/telugu/interview/6066.html |title=Rakshita explains 'Gokarna' was a good money spinner at the box office |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> ||
|2003 || ''[[Gokarna (2003 film)|Gokarna]]'' || Sidda || Kannada || 25 weeks<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/telugu/interview/6066.html |title=Rakshita explains 'Gokarna' was a good money spinner at the box office |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> ||
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|2004 ||''[[Omkara (2004 Kannada film)|Omkara]]'' || Sathya || Kannada || 50 days<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://kannada.oneindia.in/movies/news/2012/07/upendra-om-prakash-rao-upcoming-movie-trivikrama-066326.html |title=Upendra's Om was a Super Hit, Omkara a Decent Hit; Now teams up with Om Prakash Rao |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> ||
|2004 ||''[[Omkara (2004 Kannada film)|Omkara]]'' || Sathya || Kannada || 50 days<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://kannada.oneindia.in/movies/news/2012/07/upendra-om-prakash-rao-upcoming-movie-trivikrama-066326.html |title=Upendra's Om was a Super Hit, Omkara a Decent Hit; Now teams up with Om Prakash Rao |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> ||
|-
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|2005 || ''[[Gowramma (2005 film)|Gowramma]]''|| Venkat Swamy || Kannada || 125 days ||
|2005 || ''[[Gowramma (2005 film)|Gowramma]]''|| Venkat Swamy || Kannada || 105 days ||
|-
|-
|2005 || ''News'' || Guru || Kannada || ||
|2005 || ''News'' || Guru || Kannada || ||
|-
|-
|2005 || ''[[Auto Shankar (film)|Auto Shankar]]'' || Shankar || Kannada || 100 days<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.viggy.com/english/current_namma_basava_100days.asp |title=Namma Basava & Auto Shankar hit the 100 days mark |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> || The film starred [[Shilpa Shetty]] opposite Upendra.
|2005 || ''[[Auto Shankar (film)|Auto Shankar]]'' || Shankar || Kannada || 100 days<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.viggy.com/english/current_namma_basava_100days.asp |title=Namma Basava & Auto Shankar hit the 100 days mark |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> || The film starred Bollywood actress [[Shilpa Shetty]] opposite Upendra.
|-
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|2006 || ''[[Uppi Dada M.B.B.S.]]''|| Rao Bahaddur Upendra || Kannada || ||
|2006 || ''[[Uppi Dada M.B.B.S.]]''|| Rao Bahaddur Upendra || Kannada || ||
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|2006 || ''Tandege Takka Maga'' || || Kannada || ||
|2006 || ''Tandege Takka Maga'' || || Kannada || ||
|-
|-
|2006 || ''[[Aishwarya (film)|Aishwarya]]'' || Abhishek Hegde || Kannada || 75 days<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.webindia123.com/movie/2006/regional/kannada/index.htm |title=Upendra-Deepika Padukone starrer 'Aishwarya' among the Hit Kannada films of 2006 |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> || Debut film of the Bollywood actress [[Deepika Padukone]]
|2006 || ''[[Aishwarya (film)|Aishwarya]]'' || Abhishek Hegde || Kannada || 75 days<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.webindia123.com/movie/2006/regional/kannada/index.htm |title=Upendra-Deepika Padukone starrer 'Aishwarya' among the Hit Kannada films of 2006 |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> || Debut film of Bollywood actress [[Deepika Padukone]].
|-
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|2007 || ''Parodi'' || Vijay || Kannada || || Special Appearance
|2007 || ''Parodi'' || Vijay || Kannada || ||
|-
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|2007 || ''[[Masti (2007 film)|Masti]]'' || Siddappaji || Kannada & Telugu || || Special Appearance
|2007 || ''[[Masti (2007 film)|Masti]]'' || Siddappaji || Kannada & Telugu || ||
|-
|-
|2007 || ''[[Toss (2007 film)|Toss]]'' || Neelakanta || Telugu || ||
|2007 || ''[[Toss (2007 film)|Toss]]'' || Neelakanta || Telugu || ||
Line 186: Line 186:
|2008 || ''[[Sathyam (2008 film)|Sathyam]]'' || Manickvel || Tamil || ||
|2008 || ''[[Sathyam (2008 film)|Sathyam]]'' || Manickvel || Tamil || ||
|-
|-
|2008 || ''[[Budhivanta]]'' || Joseph Fernandez, <br>Panchamrutha, <br>Zakir Hussain, <br> Vijay Mithal, <br> Samarasimha Reddy, <br> Sri Sri Sri Bhagavan Ranjaneesh Swamy, <br> Shyam Prasad || Kannada & Telugu || 100 days || Highest Grossing film of 2008,<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/2008-Top-5-films-at-the-box-office-imagegallery-kannada-jdwmUxcjhci.html?html=5 |title=Upendra's 'Buddhivantha' - The Top Grosser of 2008 |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> released as ''Buddhimanthudu'' in Telugu.
|2008 || ''[[Budhivanta]]'' || Joseph Fernandez, <br>Panchamrutha, <br>Zakir Hussain, <br> Vijay Mithal, <br> Samarasimha Reddy, <br> Sri Sri Sri Bhagavan Ranjaneesh Swamy, <br> Shyam Prasad || Kannada & Telugu || 105 days<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/2008-Top-5-films-at-the-box-office-imagegallery-kannada-jdwmUxcjhci.html?html=5 |title=Upendra's 'Buddhivantha' - The Top Grosser of 2008 |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> || Released as ''Buddhimanthudu'' in Telugu.
|-
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|2008 || ''Mast Maja Maadi'' || Himself || Kannada || || Special Appearance
|2008 || ''Mast Maja Maadi'' || Himself || Kannada || || Special Appearance
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|2012 || ''[[Aarakshaka]]'' || Arun, <br>Vishnu || Kannada || ||
|2012 || ''[[Aarakshaka]]'' || Arun, <br>Vishnu || Kannada || ||
|-
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|2012 || ''[[Katari Veera Surasundarangi]]'' || Upendra, <br>Mohan || Kannada || 56 days || One of the [[Kannada films of 2012|Highest grossing Kannada films of 2012]],<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://entertainment.oneindia.in/kannada/news/2012/sandalwood-kannada-films-half-yearly-report-097069.html |title=Anna Bond and Katari Veera - Biggest Hits of 2012 so far |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref><br> First full length 3D film in [[Kannada cinema]].
|2012 || ''[[Katari Veera Surasundarangi]]'' || Upendra, <br>Mohan || Kannada || 56 days<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://entertainment.oneindia.in/kannada/news/2012/sandalwood-kannada-films-half-yearly-report-097069.html |title=Anna Bond and Katari Veera - Biggest Hits of 2012 so far |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> || First full length 3D film in [[Kannada cinema]].
|-
|-
|2012 || ''[[Godfather (2012 film)|Godfather]]'' || Shiva, <br>Ajay, <br>Vijay || Kannada || 50 days || <ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/god-father-is-performing-well-in-theatres/279683-71-205.html |title=Kannada film 'God Father' earns Rs 7 Cr in two weeks |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref><br> Music for the film was composed by [[A. R. Rahman]]<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/godfather-audio-release-ar-rahman-honoured/264435-71-205.html |title=Godfather audio release: AR Rahman honoured |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref>
|2012 || ''[[Godfather (2012 film)|Godfather]]'' || Shiva, <br>Ajay, <br>Vijay || Kannada || 50 days<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/god-father-is-performing-well-in-theatres/279683-71-205.html |title=Kannada film 'God Father' earns Rs 7 Cr in two weeks |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref> || Music for the film was composed by [[A. R. Rahman]]<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/godfather-audio-release-ar-rahman-honoured/264435-71-205.html |title=Godfather audio release: AR Rahman honoured |publisher= |date= |accessdate=}}</ref>
|-
|-
|2012 || ''[[Kalpana (2012 film)|Kalpana]]'' || Raghava || Kannada || 56 days ||
|2012 || ''[[Kalpana (2012 film)|Kalpana]]'' || Raghava || Kannada || 56 days ||

Revision as of 20:10, 28 July 2013

This article is about the Kannada film actor and director. For the film, see Upendra (film).
Upendra
File:Upendra with his family.jpg
Upendra with Priyanka Upendra and children in a family photo
Born (1968-09-18) September 18, 1968 (age 56)
Kundapura, Karnataka, India
Other namesUppi[1]
Occupation(s)film director, film actor, film producer, writer, screenwriter, lyricist, singer
Years active1989–present
SpousePriyanka Upendra
ChildrenAyush, Aishwarya
Websitetwitter.com/realupendra

Upendra (born 18 September 1968) (popularly also called Uppi[2]) is an Indian film actor, director, producer, screenwriter, lyricist and singer. He stars primarily in Kannada films and is well-known in Sandalwood and Tollywood. He started his career under the director Kashinath as a writer and an assistant director.

Upendra is the most popular and commercially successful director of the Kannada Film Industry[3], with many of his directorials creating box office history, such as Tharle Nan Maga (1992), Shhh! (1993), Om (1995), A (1998) which was also his debut film as an actor, Upendra (1999) which starred bollywood actress Raveena Tandon, and Super (2010) which was his directorial comeback after a decade of acting in Kannada, Telugu and Tamil films.[4]

As an actor, Upendra has starred in 38 films, many of which went on to become big grossers at the box office[5], such as A (1998), Kanyadanam (1998), Upendra (1999), Preethse (2000), Raa (2001), H2O (2002), Super Star (2002), Hollywood (2002), Kutumba (2003), Raktha Kanneeru (2003), Gokarna (2003), Omkara (2004), Gowramma (2005), Auto Shankar (2005), Aishwarya (2006), Anatharu (2007), Budhivanta (2008), Super (2010), Katari Veera Surasundarangi (2012), Godfather (2012) and Kalpana (2012). Upendra has thus established himself as one of the most successful directors and actors of Kannada cinema.[6][7][8][9] He is currently one of the highest paid directors and actors in the Kannada Film Industry.[10]

Upendra is famous for having directed Nonlinear narrative films which involve complicated narration and reverse screenplays with multiple number of flashbacks within flashbacks, thus making the audience to watch the film multiple number of times to understand the story. Films like Om, A, Swasthik, Upendra, and Super are most notable for their Nonlinear narrative screenplays with flashbacks within flashbacks. Upendra's films have been acclaimed by popular film personalities of Hindi, Tamil and Telugu film industries like Rajinikanth[11] , Amitabh Bachchan, Manirathnam[12], S S Rajamouli[13], Prabhu Deva[14] and Anil Kapoor.

Career as a director

  • It was Upendra's ambition to become a director, for which he first sought to assist director Kashinath. He started off as a director with a typical Kashinath style comedy called Tharle Nan Maga in 1992. The film introduced a comedian called Jaggesh, it was also a hit.[15]
  • Upendra directed a horror suspense thriller next called Shhh! in 1993. The film featured his mentor Kashinath and a young producer and actor named Kumar Govind. The movie was a major commercial success[16], and Upendra finally could come out as an independant director.
  • His next film was a gangster film called Om which was released in 1995. The film starred Shivrajkumar and also had real gangsters in its cast, and had a message of peace. The movie was a major blockbuster[17] and went on to become one of the the highest grossing Kannada films of its time and gained recognition in the National arena. With Om, Upendra also introduced an actress from Coorg, Prema. Om was also remade into several languages - the Hindi version was called Arjun Pandit and had Sunny Deol essaying Shivrajkumar's role.
  • Upendra then turned towards a project of directing an extended version of the 1981 film Antha and he called it Operation Antha. The film had Ambareesh reprising his role from the earlier 1981 version, as Kanwar Lal. The film contained revolutionary ideology and a strong feeling against corruption, where the protagonist is obsessed by the corrupt world and finds a way to change the system through extremist way. The film was much ahead of its time and hence was not very successful. However, it was controversial for its taunts on some real life political figures.[18]
  • In 1998 Upendra directed A, through which he made a successful transition to acting. A was again a revolutionary film about exploring deeper meanings of love. The film had outrageous posters, even more outrageous dialogues, and a controversial storyline. The plot was of a director falling in love with his lead actress while filming, and then becoming dejected as she leaves him when she becomes successful. The film also dealt with dark truths of the film world, like the casting couch. Rumors were thick that it was Upendra's own story, and the actress in the film was his protege Prema. This only added to the popularity of the film and it broke many box office records upon release and went on to become one of the highest grossing Kannada films of its time.[19] The film was also dubbed to Telugu, and repeated its success in Andhra Pradesh too. The film won accolades from Bollywood personalities like Amitabh Bachchan and Anil Kapoor. Upendra was now a big name in Kannada cinema and was also popular in Andhra Pradesh.[20]
  • Upendra's next movie was Swasthik with lead Raghavendra Rajkumar which was released in 1998. Taking a plot with terrorism as its core, it narrates the story of an Indian raised by Pakistani parents living in India, who are later revealed to be terrorists. The film was not a big success, but was still a hit with the critics.[21] However, it is still remembered for its smart narration and innovative screenplay and is considered to be one of the best works of Upendra with respect to screenplay.
  • In 1999, Upendra made a self-titled film, Upendra, a psychological thriller that explored the nuances of ego. Upendra acted in this film as the unnamed protagonist (or antagonist) Naanu (I or Myself). The film starred three heroines, Damini, Prema, and Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon. Naanu was an arrogant character, bordered on misogyny, and was very insulting to women, which led to a lot of criticism on the film. However, the film broke many box office records and went on to be a much bigger blockbuster than A. The film's telugu version was also a huge success in Andhra Pradesh. Upendra was now not only a remarkably successful director, but also a big star with a large fan base in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.[22][23] Since then, Upendra gave up direction and concentrated more on his on screen career.
  • Upendra came back as a director after a hiatus of 10 years in 2010 with the movie Super. The movie was released in a record number of theatres all over Karnataka[24] and was also dubbed into Telugu and released in Andhra Pradesh. The Utopian film, set in a futuristic India, tells the story of a NRI who, through political manipulations, helps India become a superpower in 2030. The film broke many box office records upon release and went on to become one of the highest grossing Kannada films of recent times and was also critically acclaimed.[25]
  • In 2011, Tamil actor Rajinikanth attended a private screening of Super in Bangalore. Rajinikanth watched the film along with Upendra and a couple of friends. Once outside the auditorium, the actor spoke to a huge crowd of media-men who were gathered outside. "Upendra is a great actor and director. There is hardly anyone in Indian Cinema, who would think like him. Only he can think like that. I like watching Upendra's films and this was no exception. If I get an opportunity and an impressive script, I'd like to act in an Upendra film in the future," said Rajini.[26][27]
  • In January 2012, Upendra announced that he is working on the script for his next directorial titled Upendra 2 or Uppi 2,[28] a sequel to his 1999 film Upendra. Upendra 2 will be directed and produced by Upendra under his home banner, Upendra Productions. The movie will be a comeback film of a trio of musician Gurukiran, cinematographer HC Venu and Upendra. The posters of Upendra 2 which were released over the Internet have aroused a lot of curiosity among millions of fans and viewers.[29] The posters featured a huge rectangle, with no clear name inside it, but with a heap of mathematical formulae - be it arithmetic, algebra, geometry, analytical geometry, calculus and so on - and had a byline - "directed by Upendra".[30]

Career as an actor

  • After acting in small roles in his mentor Kashinath's films such as Anathana Avanthara and Ajagajanthara, Upendra started his acting career with a bunch of walk on roles notably in his directorial films such as Tharle Nan Maga, Shhh! and Operation Antha.
  • In 1998 Upendra made a transition to acting in his own directorial A. Upon release, it broke many box office records and went on to become one of the highest grossing Kannada films of its time.[31] The film was also dubbed to Telugu, and repeated its success in Andhra Pradesh too. The film won accolades from Bollywood personalities like Amitabh Bachchan and Anil Kapoor. Upendra was now a big name in Kannada cinema and was also popular in Andhra Pradesh.[32] The same year, Upendra made his Tollywood debut with Kanyadanam directed by E. V. V. Satyanarayana, which was a commercial success.[33] The film explored the soft and romantic side of Upendra, who had gained a much dreaded image after his psychopath performance in A.
  • In 1999, Upendra directed and starred in a self-titled film, Upendra, a psychological thriller that explored the nuances of ego. The film starred three heroines, Damini, Prema, and Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon. The film broke many box office records upon release and went on to be a much bigger blockbuster than A. The film's telugu version was also a huge success in Andhra Pradesh. Upendra was now not only a remarkably successful director, but also a big star with a large fan base in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.[34][35] Since then, Upendra gave up direction and concentrated more on his on screen career.
  • In 2001, although Upendra did not have any releases in Kannada, his Telugu film Raa became box office hit in Andhra Pradesh.[37] Upendra starred opposite Priyanka Trivedi for the first time in this film. Raa was again a typical Upendra style film, in which Upendra plays a womanizer.
  • In 2002, Upendra went on to write and star in a highly controversial film, H2O. Upendra again starred opposite Priyanka Trivedi in this film for the second time. The film also starred Tamil dancer Prabhu Deva. H2O was about the sensitive Kaveri River water dispute, which Upendra chose to show symbolically through a love triangle between a Kannadiga (Upendra), a Tamilian (Prabhu Deva) and their object of affection, Kaveri (Priyanka Trivedi). Stuck amidst regionalistic controversies, H2O could not perform as well as expected, although it had an above average run at the box office.[38] Upendra's next film titled Super Star, was based on the true incidents of the Nepalese royal massacre. This film too, despite getting a massive opening like H2O, turned out to be a below average grosser upon release. He then appeared in films like Nagarahavu and Naanu Naane. While the former was a below average grosser, the latter box office flop.[39] Upendra then wrote and starred in a big budget Science fiction robot film titled Hollywood, in which he starred opposite Australian actress Felicity Mason. This film too, could not meet expectations and was only a moderate success at the box office.[40]
  • In 2004, Upendra's most awaited gangster film Omkara could not meet expectations and became an average grosser at the box office,[44] despite getting a massive opening.[45] However, his next film in 2005, Gowramma opposite Ramya was a huge commercial success.[46] The same year, Upendra starred opposite Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty in the film Auto Shankar which was also a box office hit.[47]
  • In 2006, Upendra starred in a Candyfloss Romantic Comedy film Aishwarya directed by Indrajit Lankesh. It was the debut film of bollywood actress Deepika Padukone. The film was made on a high style quotient, and was commercial success.[48] His other films of 2006 such as Uppi Dada MBBS and Tandege Takka Maga were box office failures.[49]
  • In 2008, Upendra rose back to Superstardom, with his only release of the year Budhivanta becoming the top box office grosser of the year.[54] Budhivanta was declared as a blockbuster,[55][56] in which Uppi played a womanizing con-man, and his seven get-ups were highly appreciated as were his witty dialogues. His next films in 2009 such as Dubai Babu and Rajani did not fare well at the box office.[57][58]
  • After many ups and downs in his career as an actor, Upendra finally came back as a director after 10 years in 2010 with the movie Super in which he starred opposite Tamil actress Nayantara and Mumbai model Tulip Joshi. The movie was released in a record number of theatres all over Karnataka[59] and was also dubbed into Telugu and released in Andhra Pradesh. The film broke many box office records upon release and went on to become one of the highest grossing Kannada films of recent times and was also critically acclaimed.[60]
  • In 2013 Upendra's much anticipated film Topiwala did below average business at the box office.[62] His next film is said to be a big budget bilingual film to be made in Kannada and Telugu titled as Brahma which will be directed by R. Chandru of Mylari and Charminar fame. According to R. Chandru the film's story line is set in a time slot between the 17th century and the present day 21st century.[63] Upendra is also set to work with Dandupalya director Sreenivasa Raju in an action film titled Basavanna, which evoked controversies regarding its title and first look poster.[64] After facing oppositions from religious communities, the makers of the film have reportedly decided to shoot the film without a title.[65]

Endorsements

Upendra has endorsed Bangalore Electricity Supply Company, United Breweries, Mavalli Tiffin Room, Karnataka Milk Federation, Emani Navaratna and Lunars Footwear. He has been the Brand Ambassador of United Breweries Group since 1999 and has been instrumental in driving the mass appeal of the brand with his iconic punch line Yella OK. Cool drink yaake? as part of the ad campaign.

In March 2012, UB Export celebrated more than a decade long association with Upendra in a ceremony at the Taj Vivanta in Bangalore. Commenting on the occasion Samar Singh Sheikhawat, Senior Vice President Marketing, United Breweries Ltd, said "The iconic Yaake? by Upendra in his trademark style has echoed for years and has been successful in capturing the imagination of the people and more importantly it has also enabled us to win several awards and laurels! It’s indeed a happy occasion for us."[This quote needs a citation] Commenting on his long standing association with the brand, Upendra added "UB Export was successful in bringing out the quirky side of me in one of my most popular punch lines ever, Yella ok. Cool drink Yaake? It’s been almost 10 years since the ad broke out but the fad of Yaake? still seems to linger. Fans even now refer to it whenever I meet them on occasions"[66].

Personal life

Born in a middle-class family at Koteshwara near Kundapura, Upendra belongs to the Tulu speaking Koteshwara Magane Kota Brahmin community. On December 14, 2003, Uppi married former Miss Kolkata Priyanka Trivedi who met him first on the sets of the Telugu movie Raa and then on the sets of H2O. Upendra and his family reside in Banashankari III Stage in Bangalore.[67][68] His residence, SuMane (which is an abbreviation of Surendra Upendra Mane, meaning House of Surendra - his elder brother and Upendra).[69]

Filmography

As director

Year Film Lead Actor(s) Run in theaters Awards Notes
1992 Tharle Nan Maga Jaggesh 150 days[70] Appears as narrator, writer, lyricist, Debut film as director
1993 Shhh! Kumar Govind 250 days[70] Cameo appearance, writer, lyricist
1995 Om Shivaraj Kumar 16 years, continues to run in theaters[70] Voice-over, writer
1995 Operation Antha Ambareesh 150 days[70] Cameo appearance, writer, lyricist
1998 A Himself 250 days[70] Udaya Film Award for Best Male Actor Writer, lyricist
1999 Swasthik Raghavendra Rajkumar 100 days[70] Writer, lyricist
1999 Upendra Himself 200 days[70] Filmfare Award for Best Director – Kannada (1999), Filmfare Award for Best Film (Kannada) Writer, lyricist
2010 Super Himself 175 days[71] Karnataka State Film Award for Best Film, Karnataka State Film Award for Best Director, Udaya Film Award for Best Screenplay, Suvarna Film Awards 2011 - Favorite Film Award, Suvarna Film Awards 2011 - Favorite Director Award.[72] Writer, lyricist

As actor

Year Film Role Language Run in theaters Notes
1989 Anathana Avanthara Kannada Cameo appearance (Lord Kamadeva in a song)
1991 Ajagajanthara Kannada Cameo appearance
1993 Shhh! Kannada Cameo appearance
1995 Operation Antha Kannada Cameo Appearance
1998 A Surya Kannada & Telugu 25 weeks
1998 Kanyadanam Telugu 100 days[37] Debut movie in Telugu.[73]
1999 Upendra Naanu Kannada & Telugu 25 weeks[37] The film starred Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon opposite Upendra.
2000 Preethse Chandru Kannada 25 weeks[74] The film starred Bollywood actress Sonali Bendre opposite Upendra.
2000 Oke Maata Sooryam Telugu
2001 Raa Sridhar Telugu 75 days[37][75]
2002 H2O Udayashankar Kannada, Tamil, Telugu 75 days[76]
2002 Neethone Vuntanu Ravi Telugu
2002 Super Star Praveen,
Deependra		 Kannada & Telugu 50 days Dubbed as Stupid in Telugu.
2002 Nagarahavu Ajay Kannada
2002 Naanu Naane Raja Kannada
2002 Hollywood Upendra,
Surendra,
Robot US47		 Kannada & Telugu 75 days[77]
2003 Kutumba Vijay Kannada 125 days[78]
2003 Rakta Kanneeru Mohan Kannada & Telugu 120 days[79]
2003 Gokarna Sidda Kannada 25 weeks[80]
2004 Omkara Sathya Kannada 50 days[81]
2005 Gowramma Venkat Swamy Kannada 105 days
2005 News Guru Kannada
2005 Auto Shankar Shankar Kannada 100 days[82] The film starred Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty opposite Upendra.
2006 Uppi Dada M.B.B.S. Rao Bahaddur Upendra Kannada
2006 Tandege Takka Maga Kannada
2006 Aishwarya Abhishek Hegde Kannada 75 days[83] Debut film of Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone.
2007 Parodi Vijay Kannada
2007 Masti Siddappaji Kannada & Telugu
2007 Toss Neelakanta Telugu
2007 Anatharu Rudra Kannada 63 days[84]
2007 Lava Kusha Chakri Kannada
2008 Sathyam Manickvel Tamil
2008 Budhivanta Joseph Fernandez,
Panchamrutha,
Zakir Hussain,
Vijay Mithal,
Samarasimha Reddy,
Sri Sri Sri Bhagavan Ranjaneesh Swamy,
Shyam Prasad		 Kannada & Telugu 105 days[85] Released as Buddhimanthudu in Telugu.
2008 Mast Maja Maadi Himself Kannada Special Appearance
2009 Dubai Babu Babu Kannada
2009 Rajani Rajani Kannada
2010 Super Subhash Chandra Gandhi Kannada & Telugu 25 weeks
2011 Shrimathi Raj Kumar Kannada
2012 Aarakshaka Arun,
Vishnu		 Kannada
2012 Katari Veera Surasundarangi Upendra,
Mohan		 Kannada 56 days[86] First full length 3D film in Kannada cinema.
2012 Godfather Shiva,
Ajay,
Vijay		 Kannada 50 days[87] Music for the film was composed by A. R. Rahman[88]
2012 Kalpana Raghava Kannada 56 days
2013 Topiwala Basak Kannada
2014 Bramha Kannada & Telugu Filming[89]
2014 Basavanna Kannada & Telugu Announced[90]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Film Result
1999 Udaya Film Awards Best Male Actor[91] A Won
1999 Udaya Film Awards Best Director A Nominated
1999 Filmfare Awards South Filmfare Award for Best Director – Kannada A Nominated
2000 Filmfare Awards South Filmfare Award for Best Director – Kannada Upendra Won
2000 Filmfare Awards South Filmfare Award for Best Film – Kannada Upendra Won
2003 Udaya Film Awards Best Male Actor Nagarahavu[92] Won
2004 Filmfare Awards South Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Kannada Raktha Kanneeru Nominated
2008 Suvarna Film Awards Special Award For Performance Anatharu Won
2008 Filmfare Awards South Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Kannada Anatharu Nominated
2008 Udaya Film Awards Best Male Actor Anatharu Nominated
2009 Filmfare Awards South Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Kannada Budhivanta Nominated
2011 Udaya Film Awards Best Screenplay Super Won
2011 Udaya Film Awards Best Director Super Nominated
2011 Udaya Film Awards Best Male Actor Super Nominated
2011 Suvarna Film Awards Favorite Director Award Super Won
2011 Filmfare Awards South Filmfare Award for Best Director – Kannada Super Nominated
2011 Filmfare Awards South Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Kannada Super Nominated
2011 Filmfare Awards South Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer – Kannada Sikka Patte - Super Nominated
2012 Karnataka State Film Awards Karnataka State Film Award for Best Director[93] Super Won
2012 Karnataka State Film Awards Karnataka State Film Award for Best Film[94] Super Won
2012 South Indian International Movie Awards Special Appriciation Award[95] Shrimathi Won
2013 Udaya Film Awards Best Male Actor Kalpana[96] Won
2013 Suvarna Film Awards Best Male Actor Kalpana Nominated
2013 South Indian International Movie Awards Best Actor Katariveera Surasundarangi Nominated

References

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  8. ^ "Upendra - The 'Super' man in your neighbourhood".
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  14. ^ "Prabhu Deva about Upendra".
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  27. ^ Written by: By: Shekhar H Hooli (2011-01-29). "Rajinikanth describes Upendra's Super as different film - Oneindia Entertainment". Entertainment.oneindia.in. Retrieved 2013-01-28.
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  37. ^ a b c d "He's 'different'".
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  40. ^ "Upendra's Hollywood moderate success".
  41. ^ "Kutumba marks successful 125 days".
  42. ^ "2003 - yearly roundup of kannada films".
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  44. ^ "Preeti Jhangiani returns to Sandalwood". Chakpak. 2012-06-06. Retrieved 2012-07-01.
  45. ^ http://chitraloka.com/news/2230-topiwala-to-get-released-on-january-25.html
  46. ^ "Gowramma going great guns".
  47. ^ "Namma Basava and Auto Shankar hit the 100 days mark".
  48. ^ "Upendra-Deepika Padukone starrer 'Aishwarya' among the Hit Kannada films of 2006".
  49. ^ "Kannada films 2006 Report".
  50. ^ [entertainment.oneindia.in/kannada/news/2008/2007-superstar-ganesh-040108.html "Kannada films 2007 Round up"]. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  51. ^ "The Hindu - Kannada films 2007".
  52. ^ "Telugu films 2007 Report".
  53. ^ "Tamil films 2007 Report".
  54. ^ "Upendra's 'Buddhivantha' - The Top Grosser of 2008".
  55. ^ "Kannada films 2008 Report".
  56. ^ "Buddhivatha completes 100 days".
  57. ^ "Kannada films 2009 - Hits and misses".
  58. ^ "Kannada films 2009 - BO Report".
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  61. ^ "Best Kannada Actor of 2012".
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  63. ^ "Bramha - Upendra and Chandru".
  64. ^ "Upendra's Basavanna first look creates controversy".
  65. ^ "Basavanna to release without title".
  66. ^ "'Yella ok; cool drink yaake?'". The New Indian Express.
  67. ^ "The 'Super' man in your neighborhood - Upendra". The Hindu.
  68. ^ "Upendra & Priyanka - When two cultures merge".
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  71. ^ "Super Completes 100 days and still going strong".
  72. ^ "Upendra's 'Super' tops State Awards". Deccan Herald.
  73. ^ "Kanyadaanam 1999 Cast and Crew".
  74. ^ "Kannada Blockbuster Preethse - Mindless Entertainment!".
  75. ^ "Producer of 'Raa' Nallamalupu Bujji Interview".
  76. ^ "Upendra explains that H2O completed 75 days of run and was a moderate success".
  77. ^ "Is Endhiran inspired by Uppi's Hollywood ?".
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  80. ^ "Rakshita explains 'Gokarna' was a good money spinner at the box office".
  81. ^ "Upendra's Om was a Super Hit, Omkara a Decent Hit; Now teams up with Om Prakash Rao".
  82. ^ "Namma Basava & Auto Shankar hit the 100 days mark".
  83. ^ "Upendra-Deepika Padukone starrer 'Aishwarya' among the Hit Kannada films of 2006".
  84. ^ "Kannada films of 2007 - Roundup".
  85. ^ "Upendra's 'Buddhivantha' - The Top Grosser of 2008".
  86. ^ "Anna Bond and Katari Veera - Biggest Hits of 2012 so far".
  87. ^ "Kannada film 'God Father' earns Rs 7 Cr in two weeks".
  88. ^ "Godfather audio release: AR Rahman honoured".
  89. ^ "Bramha - Upendra and Chandru".
  90. ^ "Upendra's Basavanna first look creates controversy".
  91. ^ "Udaya film Awards won by Upendra".
  92. ^ "Udaya film Awards won by Upendra".
  93. ^ "Karnataka State Film Awards 2012".
  94. ^ "Karnataka State Film Awards 2012".
  95. ^ "SIIMA Awards 2012 Results".
  96. ^ "Udaya film Awards 2013 Results".

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