Kalyan Kumar

Kalyan Kumar Biography

Kalyan Kumar was one of the leading heroes of Kannada film industry during 1960’s and 1970’s, who has also worked in Telugu and Tamil movies. He along with Rajkumar and Udayakumar form the magic trio of Kannada movies during this period and known by the name “Kumara Thrayaru” of the Kannada cinema. They together have acted in the movie, Bhoodaana, directed by G. V. Iyer. The movie was released in 1962 which was a box office hit.

He debut big screen with ‘Natashekhara’ in 1954. His most memorable movies are Rayara Sose, Bedi Bandavalu, Belli Moda, Arishina Kunkuma, Sadarame, Subbashastri, Badukuva Daari, Mavana Mgalu, Kathaa Sangama and Kaleju Ranga. He acted in several Kannada-Telugu bi-lingual films made in the 60s and was a regular actor in the early G V Iyer films. He was married to Kannada film heroine, Revati. He is also known as a stage director and actor.

His real name is Chokkanna, born in the year 1929 in Bangalore in a middle class family. His parents wanted him to become a doctor. But Kalyan dreamt to become an actor. Later he entered movies through ‘Natashekhara’ in 1954 and has acted in over 200 films in Kannada, Tamil and Telugu. He played lead role opposite J. Jayalalitha in Maavana Magalu in 1965 and Badukuva Daari in 1966. He acted in the first full-length colour film in Kannada - Amarashilpi Jakanachari, where he portrayed the role of Jakanachari.

He was regularly featured in G. V. Iyer films like Bhoodana, Tayi karalu, Lawyer magalu and Bangari. His Tamil film Nenjil Oru Alayam was later made in Hindi as Dil Ek Mandir and Kannada movie - Mavana Mgalu as Sasural. In both these movies, Rajendra Kumar played the lead role. He died on 1st August 1999.

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Updated: February 18, 2014