Sihi Kahi Chandru

A. Chandrashekar (born 23 July 1962), known professionally as Sihi Kahi Chandru, is an Indian actor, television host, director and producer, and theatre personality who primarily works in Kannada cinema and television. In addition to his acting career, he is known for hosting cookery programmes.

Chandru has appeared in more than 500 films and numerous television serials, and has also worked as a radio presenter. After beginning his career in theatre, Chandru gained popularity for his role in the television soap Sihi Kahi (1986–1987), from which he derived his screen name. He made his film debut with Avale Nanna Hendthi (1988), and after appearing in minor roles during the late 1980s, received his breakthrough with Hrudaya Geethe (1989). He subsequently became known for portraying comedic characters in films such as Ganeshana Maduve (1990), Gauri Ganesha (1991), Bombat Hendthi (1992) and Tenali Rama (2006).

Under his production banner Final Cut Productions, Chandru produced and directed the television serials Papa Pandu (2000–2005) and Silli Lalli (2000–2007), both of which became highly popular and ran for more than 1,000 episodes each, later spawning second seasons in the 2010s. His directorials Parvathi Parameshwara (2009–2013) and Panduranga Vittala (2011–2013) also became popular. Beginning in the late 2000s, Chandru hosted several cookery shows on Kannada television, most notably Bombaat Bhojana, which completed 1,500 episodes in 2025. In 2022, Chandru was awarded the Rajyotsava Award by the Government of Karnataka in recognition of his contributions to Kannada cinema and television.

Early life Chandru was born in Rajajinagar, Bangalore, on 23 July 1962, the second son of Ashwath Narayan Rao, a spinning manager, and Meenakshi, a homemaker. Chandru attended National English School and Vidya Vardhaka Sangha, where he completed his schooling, and PUC from St. Joseph's University. He then obtained a bachelor of science degree from MES College of Arts, Commerce and Science. He acted in several plays while in college, and also served as its student president. During this time, he met actor and director Shankar Nag, who handed him the book Journey to Ixtlan by Carlos Castaneda. The book on self-reflection had an influence on Chandru. between 1986 and 1987. It was a sitcom serial in which Chandru and Geetha appeared as a married couple. The serial had a large viewership and was extremely popular with the Kannada audiences. The serial was aired once a week and completed a 52-week run. Chandru and Geetha went on to marry in real life on 9 November 1990. The serial's title subsequently stuck to the couple as prefixes to their names.

1990s–present: Bombaat Bhojana and other television work In the 1990s, alongside acting in films, Chandru acted in television soaps. He appeared in Mayamruga. In the 2000s, he produced and directed Papa Pandu, a popular sitcom which saw a run of 1,014 episodes. He also wrote and directed Silli Lalli, another sitcom, which was aired from 2003 to 2007. It completed 1,162 episodes. It was reported in 2014 that Chandru produced three television soaps through his production houses, Final Cut Productions and Master Productions. Chandru added that he also made documentary films, ad films and corporate films. He would go on to direct more sitcoms such as Parvathi Parameshwara (2009–2013) and Panduranga Vittala (2011–2013). Chandru then hosted the widely popular show Bombaat Bhojana, which completed more than 750 episodes by 2012. The format of the show involved Chandru visiting selected restaurants to showcase their signature dishes while also presenting his own recipes and cooking techniques. Celebrity guests were also hosted on some episodes. The show was noted for combining cooking demonstrations with slapstick humour and conversational storytelling. The first season of the show ended after completing around 800 episodes. Chandru stated that he took a break from cookery shows after "people associated me only with food. It led to an identity crisis. Nobody talked about my films any more. That's when I decided to stop doing it. By the end of the fifth season, more than 1,500 episodes were aired. The sixth season premiered in October 2025.

In 2017, Chandru contested in the fifth season of the reality television show Bigg Boss Kannada. In 2018, he produced and directed the second season of Papa Pandu, which completed a run of 300 episodes in 2019. The storyline of the first season was retained and continued. In the same year, he launched and directed the second season of Silli Lalli. However, it was taken off air in 2020 due to low ratings. In 2021, Chandru appeared as judge on Cookku with Kirikku, a cooking reality show, with chef Venkatesh Bhat.

Other work Chandru is also a noted theatre personality, known for his comedy play Neenaanaadre naaneenena? (If you are me, then am I you?), an adaptation of William Shakespeare's play The Comedy of Errors, incidentally also adapted in the film a production in Hindi (Angoor). Throughout his career, Chandru acted in numerous plays, both in Kannada, such as Nimitha, Gathi and Sankramana, and in English. He recalled, "Theatre has been my first love and I never leave an opportunity to do the same. I do different roles away for my regular on-screen image."

In 2006, Chandru first hosted a breakfast show on radio for 92.7 Big FM in Bangalore.

Partial filmography Films All films are in Kannada, unless otherwise noted. + Year Title Role Notes 1988 Avale Nanna Hendthi Subhash 1989 Avane Nanna Ganda Vinayak Hrudaya Geethe Dr. Sunil Narasimha Chandra Jai Karnataka 1990 Ganeshana Maduve Chandru Golmaal Radhakrishna Prasad Matsara Chandru Muthina Haara Menasinakai Swarna Samsara Pashupathi Shivashankar Nigooda Rahasya Lakkappa Challenge Gopalakrishna 1991 Gauri Ganesha Golmal Radhakrishna 2 Jagadeka Veera Rollcall Ramakrishna Umesh 1992 Belliyappa Bangarappa Bombat Hendthi Chandru 2001 Mathadana Srikanthe Gowda Sparsha 2004 Srusti 2005 Sakha Sakhi 2007 Maathaad Maathaadu Mallige Sheera 2006 Honeymoon Express Julie Tenali Rama 2008 Hani Hani Kodagana Koli Nungitha Mast Maja Maadi Samarasimha Reddy Milana Flat manager 2009 Jhossh College principal Maleyali Jotheyali Sandhya's father 2010 Naanu Nanna Kanasu Hayavadana Achar Sri Harikathe Ullasa Utsaha Driver 2011 9 to 12 Akasmath Aidondla Aidu Keratam / Yuvan College principal Bi-lingual film (Telugu, Tamil) Mayadanta Male Yogaraj But Kahi Chandru O Manase Puttakkana Highway 2012 Shikari 2015 Luv U Alia Cook 2016 Devara Naadalli Padmakar Shetty Sundaranga Jaana "Wrong Talk" Ramanujam 2017 Raaga 2018 Aa Karaala Ratri Harikatha performer 2022 Old Monk Abhigna's father 2025 Nimde Kathe

Television + Year Title Role Notes 1986–1987 Sihi Kahi 198? Antarala Hindi serial 19?? Crazy Colonel 1992 Nalapaka Host Rasapaka Host 2010– Bombaat Bhojana Host 2011–2013 Panduranga Vittala As director 2014 Bhojanapriya 2014 Thaka Dhimi Tha Dancing Star Contestant 2016 Adarsha Dampathigalu Host 2017 Bigg Boss Kannada Contestant Season 5 2018–2020 Papa Pandu 2 Nimbehuli Baba Also director and producer 2019–2020 Silli Lalli 2 2021 Cookku with Kirikku Judge 2022 Jodi No 1 Guest 2023 Weekend with Ramesh Guest 2023 Amruthadhare Sadashiva 2025 Ayyana Mane

Music videos Year Title Artist Album 2020 "Happy" All Ok —