Doddanna

Sugurappa Doddanna (born 11 November 1949) is an Indian actor in the Kannada film industry and former politician. As an actor, he has appeared in more than 800 films.

Early life Doddanna was born on 11 November 1949 in Arasikere, a town in the Hassan district of the erstwhile Mysore State (now Karnataka), to Nanjamma and Sugurappa. The youngest son in the family, Doddanna belongs to the Lingayat community. He was named after his grandfather, Kadle Doddappa. Doddanna spent his formative years in Santhepete near Arasikere. He completed his middle school and high school in Arasikere. He had two older brothers: Basavaraj and Rachanna.

Career Doddanna's career as an actor took off after he appeared as a girl in a play titled Civil Marriage. He soon joined the Vighneshwara Kala Sangha, an amateur theatre group based in the Hassan district, alongwith his brothers. He recalled, "We performed across the state and acted in some of the finest plays. This gave me confidence and strengthened my resolve to become an actor." In 1968, he joined the Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant (VISL), then named Mysore Iron Works, as a welder. With his friends there, he formed the Gandharva Ranga, a theatre group, that regularly travelled to watch plays directed by B. V. Karanth, Girish Karnad and Chandrashekhara Kambara. During this time, he was offered his first film role by director S. Siddalingaiah in Koodi Balidare Swarga Sukha (1981).

Doddanna would go on to portray negative-shaded characters, politicians, policemen and other character archetypes throughout the 1980s and the following decades. He also became noted for playing comedic roles.

As politician Doddanna joined the Janata Party in 2004, ahead of the general election. He contested to the Lok Sabha from Shimoga, and eventually lost of Sarekoppa Bangarappa. He later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, and subsequently its breakaway faction Karnataka Janata Paksha, in 2012. However, he was denied ticket to contest the 2013 Karnataka Legislative Assembly election from Turuvekere.

Partial filmography Films All films are in Kannada unless otherwise noted.

Television + List of Doddanna television credits Year Title Role Notes 2016 Weekend with Ramesh Guest 2017 Bharjari Comedy Judge 2021 Raja Rani Guest Finale episode 2022 Bombat Bhojana Guest 2022–2024 Kendasampige Keshav Prasad

Awards

Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor - 1998-99 Winner for Tuvvi Tuvvi Tuvvi South Indian International Movie Awards - 2012 Nominated—SIIMA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Katari Veera Surasundarangi Filmfare Awards South - 2019 Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Telugu for Aatagadharaa Siva 6th Arsikere Taluk Kannada Sahithya Sammelana President - 2016