Devaraj

20 Sep, 1953 | Lingarajapuram, Bangalore, Karnataka

Actor/Director

Biography

Devaraj is an Indian actor and theatre actor who works in South Indian film industries. He has largely featured in Kannada films, performing various roles as a lead character, supporting character and as an antagonist. He has also featured in Tamil and Telugu films. Having worked in over 200 feature films, Devaraj is popularly referred to as a "Dynamic Hero" in the Kannada film industry. Prior to acting in films, Devaraj has performed for various stage plays under the guidance of Shankar Nag and B. Jayashree. Devaraj has won several awards and accolades, including the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor for his portrayal as the protagonist in the film Veerappan in 1991. Early Life Devaraj was born on 20 September 1953 to Ramachandrappa and Krishnamma in Lingarajpuram, a locality in Bangalore. Devraj's sole passion was theatre. He was with B. Jayashree's theatre group Spandana and later with Shankar Nag's Sanket. An employee of HMT for nine years, he entered films through 'Trishula' as a supporting actor in a negative role. He continued as a supporting actor to eventually star in leading roles. Career Devaraj auditioned for Trishula with Avinash, both of who were a part of the same theatre troupe. Both got through the auditions and the film was his debut as an actor. However, the film did not release. His first release was 27 Mavalli Circle in 1986. After the success of 27 Mavalli Circle, Devaraj acted in many more films mainly in supporting roles. His notable performances include: Aaganthuka, Navabharatha, Indrajith among others. After the year 2000, Devaraj switched over to character roles and debuted in Tamil and Telugu film industries. He worked in highly acclaimed films such as Naan Kadavul, Malaikottai and Villu in Tamil and Yagnam, Sri in Telugu. Personal Life In 1986, Devaraj married actress Chandralekha, whom he had met on the sets of his film Sikku. Following this, they appeared together in the 1987 film Kendada Male. After their marriage, Chandralekha quit acting. They have two sons, Prajwal and Pranam. Both sons are active in the Kannada film industry, with Prajwal having established himself as a lead actor.