Comedian Nagesh Profile

C. Krishna Rao Gundu Rao born on September 27, better known by his screen name Nagesh , was a Tamil film actor, mostly remembered for his roles as a comedian during the 1960s.

Nagesh was born as ‘Gundu Rao’ in a Brahmin community in Tiptur Taluk, in a poor Kannada family from Dharapuram, Madras Presidency to Brahmin Madhwa parents, Krishna Rao & Rukmani Ammal.

Nagesh was educated in Madras and He walked out of the house telling his parents that he would be back only after establishing himself in some career , so he worked as a clerk in the Indian Railways before carving a place for himself in the Tamil film industry.

One day Nagesh saw a Tamil play ‘Kambar Ramayanam’ enacted by his colleagues and he felt that he could do a good job and asked the secretary of the railways cultural association to give him a role to act.

Nagesh was given a role of a man suffering from stomach pain. MGR then chief guest seeing this play, in his speech praised Nagesh for his performance. From then onwards Nagesh played small roles in various
drama troupes and kept himself busy.

It was producer Balaji who spotted Nagesh and gave him his first break in films. The most memorable performance of Nagesh he has acted is his role in ‘Thiruvillayadal’ in which he speaks a soliloquy that is one of the most memorable scenes in the film. He played a poet falling on bad times in the film. When Sivaji who played Siva in the film saw it he asked the director to retain it in full without a cut.

Nagesh became a familiar star to Telugu audience with the film ‘Server Sundaram’ dubbed from Tamil. His portrayal of a waiter in a restaurant who later becomes a big time movie star

Adivi Ramudu’ with NTR bought him fame followed by films like Sriranga Neethulu (ANR), Devudu Mamayya (Shobhan babu), Indradhanusu (Krishna), Tholi Prema (Pawan Kalyan), Subhakankshalu (Jagapathi Babu), Brundhavanam (Rajendra Prasad), Adavallaku Mathrame (Tamil: Magalir Mattum – role of a Dead body), Madam, Indrudu Chandrudu (Kamal Hassan), Dasavathaaram (2008) which portrayed some of his best performances on screen.

Nagesh was a self-taught man who believed that an actor could learn from from watching life and its characters. He had to face many sorrows in his personal life the greatest tragedy being when he drove down to see his mother in his new imported car stacked with money and found his mother`s last rites being performed on the banks of Amravathi.

Nagesh’s talent and versatility in acting is evident from a speech made by  Ramaswamy who said, “He is not a comedian but an actor par excellence. He laid down the grammar for humor in cinema. Do not compare him with any other comedians. His path of success was made by his hard work combined with talent.

With a Himayalan record of over 1000 films in his career span of more than five decades, Nagesh inspired people with his disparate body language, timing comedy and intonation which created uproar. It’s not exaggerating if said the only comedian who also sheens in character roles is Nagesh who will be reigning for the time to come.

Nagesh’s style of comedy was largely inspired by Hollywood actor Jerry Lewis. Similarities between Nagesh and Lewis earned Nagesh the sobriquet “Jerry Lewis of India”.

Nagesh’s marriage to a Christian woman named Regina had fractured his relationship with his mother and other relatives. From the relationship, he had two sons, Ramesh Babu and Anand Babu.

Nagesh was known for his timing and intonation that had the audience in splits. Even in serious movies, his roles were well-appreciated

Veteran actor Nagesh alias Gunddu Rao has passed away on 31st January 2009 after prolonged illness.

The loss is irreplaceable for the film industry for he is a man of many talents and can enact any role with ease.

He is regarded as one of the most prolific comedians in Tamil.

Filmography:

Manamulla Marudhaaram
Pachai Vilakku
Makkala Rajya
Thayilla Pillai
Nenjil Oru Aalayam
Madras To Pondicherry
Server Sundaram

Thiruvilayadal
Aayirathil Oruvan
Nadodi
Motor Sundaram Pillai
Anbe Vaa
Chiththi
Raasi
Thadayam
Tholi Prema
Desiya Geetham
Subhakankshalu
Kaadhala Kaadhala
Rhythm
Minnale

Original Name   : Gunddu Rao
Film Name         : Nagesh
Star Title            : King of Comedy
Mother Tongue  : Kannada
Date of Birth      : 27, September, 1933
Date of Death     : 31, Jan, 2009
Complexion        : Whitish
Eye Color           : Black
Hair Color          : Black
Debut Movie      : Tamil – Thamaraikulam (1958)
Debut Movie      : Telugu- Adivi Ramudu

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