Mandya Ramesh

Kunthur Subramanyam Ramesh (15 August 1963), known profesionally as Mandya Ramesh, is an Indian actor and theatre personality who mainly works in the Kannada theatre and films. He founded Natana Rangashaale, a theatre training institution based in Mysore. He is a recipient of the Karnataka Nataka Academy Award in 2017.

After beginning his acting career in theatre in 1982, Ramesh associated himself with Neenasam and Rangayana, working with prominent dramatists in Karnataka. His film and television career took off in the 1990s, and has appeared in more than 350 films and several television serials. He is noted for his performances in films such as Nagamandala (1997), Kanasugara (2001), Mata (2006) and Mussanjemaatu (2008). His role in Nagamandala earned him the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. He is noted for his television work in Majaa Talkies (2015–2020).

Early life

Ramesh was born on 15 August 1963 in Mandya, Karnataka, to N. Subramanyam (c. 1930–2020), a second-division clerk with a government department, and Nagalakshmamma, a homemaker. He was two older siblings: brother Anand Kumar, and sister Vallidevi. Ramesh spent his early years in Belluru, in Mandya district's taluk of Nagamangala. He was then educated in Mandya till grade two, when he lived with his grandmother, before returning to Nagamangala. He was drawn towards stage acting there and participated in several productions, also writing and directing plays while still in school. This continued when he returned to Mandya to pursue high school education. Ramesh cited Dr. Rajkumar as a huge influence to him as an actor while growing up. Ramesh's interest in theatre furthered when his father introduced him to traditional performance forms such as Bayalaata and company theatre. Ramesh graduated from the University of Mysore with a degree in science.

Career

Ramesh started his theatre career in 1982 through a theatre workshop conducted by Ashok Badaradinni, a graduate from National School of Drama. He enrolled in Neenasam theatre institute in 1984 as an actor and technician. He was adjudged the best student there. In 1989, he joined Rangayana and worked under the guidance of B. V. Karanth for more than eight years. As part of the Rangayana troupe, Ramesh toured extensively across Mandya, Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts performing street plays as part of literacy campaigns, while also conducting annual theatre workshops for children to promote the Kannada language and culture. With Rangayana and later, Ramesh would work with other prominent directors such as Prasanna, B. Jayashree and K. V. Subbanna. In 2002, Ramesh founded his own school for theatre arts, Natana. He directed plays such as Oorubhanga, Chaama Chaluve, Subhadra Kalyana, Sayoo Aata, Mruccha Katika" and Sankranthi.

Ramesh's acting debut in films came in 1995, with a role in T. S. Nagabharana's Janumada Jodi starring Shiva Rajkumar. His portrayal of Kappanna in Nagabharana's next, Nagamandala (1997), earned him the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. Ramesh has since appeared in more than 350 films such as Kanasugara (2001), Mata (2006), Oggarane (2014), Devara Naadalli (2016), Uppina Kagada (2017), The Villain (2018) and Yajamana (2019). Ramesh's television work as an actor came in serials such as Janani, Manethana, Chi Sou Savithri, Shreerasthu Shubhamasthu and Ivalu Sujatha. He also appeared as Muddesha in the sketch comedy show Majaa Talkies, hosted by Srujan Lokesh. He currently plays a lead role in the serial Aase.

Ramesh also wrote two books, Rangavalli (2010) and Kanavarike (2013) related to his life in theatre. In 2022, Mandya Ramesh Natana Kathe, a biographical work on his life written by N. Dhananjaya, was published.

Selected filmography

Films

• All films are in Kannada, unless otherwise noted.

Plays (as director)

• Mruccha Katika
• Sankranthi
• Maranayaka
• Chora Chandradaasa
• Nagamandala
• Agni Mattu Male
• Sahebru Baruttare
• Yuyuthsu
• Ee Kelaginavaru
• Alibaba
• Neeli Kudure
• Govina Haadu
• Nayi Thippa
• Yugantha
• Vakra
• Ratna Pakshi
• Ailudore
• Chamachaluve
• Samsaradalli Sa Ni Da Pa
• Oorubhanga
• Subhadra Kalyana

Television

Awards and honours

• Karnataka Nataka Academy Award (2017)
• Samskara Bharathi Natya Samaroha Award for Best Young Theatre Director (1981)
• Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for Nagamandala (1996–97)
• Expert Committee Member, Department of Culture, Government of India (2000–2003)
• Member, Karnataka Nataka Academy
• Knock Out Award for Best Supporting Actor
• Udaya Film Award for Best Supporting Actor
• K. V. Shankare Gowda Theatre Award
• Sandesha Award
• Aryabhata Award
• Member, Ranga Samaja (Governing Council), Rangayana

External links

• at IMDb