Umashri
Encyclopedia
Umashree born on (10 May 1957) is an Indian theatre and film actress of Kannada film industry also well-known politician. She was a Member of the Legislative Council in Karnataka
. She has done so many varied roles as a character artiste with equal finesse and aplomb. However she is most famous for her portrayal of comic roles. Her range in acting is unparalleled - mainly due to her stint in stage plays - and has acted in more than 350 Kannada movies, of which her portrayal in Swabimana, Golmal Radhakrishna, Yaru Hone, Sangya balya, Putnanja
, Tumbida Mane, Kotreshi Kanasu
, Kurigalu Sir Kurigalu, Kotigalu Sir Kotigalu, Yaarige Saalutte Sambala, Mani, Veeru, Gulabi Talkies
and now recently Kanasemba Kudureyaneri
are few to be appreciated.
, C. G. Krishnaswamy, R. Nagesh, T.S. Nagabharana etc. She has been part of many eminent theatre groups of the State and is an active member of Rangasampada Amateur Theatre group of Bangalore
. She has performed nearly hundred different plays in Amateur, Professional, Rural and Industrial theatre sectors. As of date more than 6000 shows have been performed. Well known actress of Kannada film industry, Umashri has got Best Actress
National Award for Gulabi Talkies
film. Which is directed by four time Swarna Kamal National award winner director Girish Kasaravalli
.
She started her movie career with an inconsequential role in the movie Anubhava opposite Kashinath
in the late 1980s. Even though she had only a supporting role - which had a comic streak and also grey shades - in the movie, her acting was appreciated by one and all. She even bagged an award for the role. But later she was branded for same kind of comedy roles bordering on the line of indecency with double meaning dialogs. Initially she formed the best pair with N. S. Rao and with his unique kind of dialog delivery, they both regaled the Kannada audiences in many movies. Later after the actor's demise she was paired with Mukhyamantri Chandru, Doddanna and karibasavaiah with whom also she formed a great pairing and shared a unique comic timing. Her acting in the movie Kotigalu Sir Kotigalu as Muniyamma a limp washer-women was enjoyed thoroughly by children as well as grown-ups.
The role in the movie Puttananja changed everything for Umashree. Her portrayal of an 80 years old grandmother in the movie made everyone sit-up and notice her immense talent, even though she was praised for her performances in movies like Tayyavva, Amrutha Ghalige
, Sangya Balya, etc. Later she was provided better roles which had immense scope to perform and display her talent by many directors S. V. Rajendra Singh Babu, Yograj Bhat
. Her portrayal as an aged prostitute trying hard to save her daughter from the flesh-trade in the movie Mani was exemplary and won her Karnataka State award for Best Supporting Actress in the year 2005. She is the only Kannada actress to receive Karnataka State awards/prizes (Silver Medals) six times conferred on her by one Governor and six chief ministers of karnataka. She is also the recipient of the state's prestigious 'Rajyothsava Award' Gold Medal
.
Umashree starred in the 2008 film Gulabi Talkies
directed by Girish Kasaravalli
,which even bought her The Osians' Cinefan Film Festival's Best Actress Award. She was also nominated for the Best Actress award for Gulabi Talkies at Middle East International Film Festival
Abu Dhabi 2008. And presently Gulabi Talkies is also nominated for Indian International Film Festival 2008 for Indian Panorama category. She has also received Karnataka State award for Best Actress for the year 2008 for the same movie.
She is currently acting in various movies which offers her better roles. She is interested in politics and was an MLC (Member of Legislative Council) in the Karnataka State Government and currently she is the Chairman for Other Backward Class Department in Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee. She had also contested in the 13th Karnataka State Assembly elections from Terdal constituency in Bagalkot district, under an Indian National Congress Congress ticket. But she lost the election with a reasonable margin. And that to was with just 20 days of campaigning, though it was the same for her as well as her opponent
Nominated for international Award as Best Actress for ‘Gulabi Talkies’ at Middle East International Film Festival, Abu Dhabi 2008
Apart from these she has also received more than twenty Best Actress prizes in different Industrial Competition Plays.
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. She has done so many varied roles as a character artiste with equal finesse and aplomb. However she is most famous for her portrayal of comic roles. Her range in acting is unparalleled - mainly due to her stint in stage plays - and has acted in more than 350 Kannada movies, of which her portrayal in Swabimana, Golmal Radhakrishna, Yaru Hone, Sangya balya, Putnanja
Putnanja
Putnanja is a 1995 Kannada language film directed by Ravichandran and produced by A. Narsimhan. This film stars Ravichandran, Meena, Umashri, Lokesh and Tara in lead roles. Music was composed by Hamsalekha.-Plot:...
, Tumbida Mane, Kotreshi Kanasu
Kotreshi Kanasu
Kotreshi Kanasu is Indian Kannada language movie directed by Nagathihalli Chandrashekar starring Vijay Raghavendra.-Plot:Kotreshi Kanasu is set in the backdrop of the Indian caste system, it says the dreams and desires of an innocent boy of a lower caste, caught in the web of a discriminatory society...
, Kurigalu Sir Kurigalu, Kotigalu Sir Kotigalu, Yaarige Saalutte Sambala, Mani, Veeru, Gulabi Talkies
Gulabi Talkies
Gulabi Talkies is a 2008 Kannada film by acclaimed Indian director Girish Kasaravalli. It is based on a short story by the same name by Kannada writer Vaidehi....
and now recently Kanasemba Kudureyaneri
Kanasemba Kudureyaneri
Kanasemba Kudureyaneri is a 2010 Kannada film directed by noted Kannada film director Girish Kasaravalli. It is based on a Kannada novel written by Amaresh Nudgoni called Savari...
are few to be appreciated.
Theatre experience
She has 31 years long experience in village, amateur, mythological and professional drama. She has acted under the direction of great theatre directors like German director Fritz Bennewitz, B.V. Karanth, Girish KarnadGirish Karnad
Girish Raghunath Karnad is a contemporary writer, playwright, screenwriter, actor and movie director in Kannada language...
, C. G. Krishnaswamy, R. Nagesh, T.S. Nagabharana etc. She has been part of many eminent theatre groups of the State and is an active member of Rangasampada Amateur Theatre group of Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
. She has performed nearly hundred different plays in Amateur, Professional, Rural and Industrial theatre sectors. As of date more than 6000 shows have been performed. Well known actress of Kannada film industry, Umashri has got Best Actress
Best Actress
Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to:-Film award:* Academy Award for Best Actress* Ariel Award for Best Actress...
National Award for Gulabi Talkies
Gulabi Talkies
Gulabi Talkies is a 2008 Kannada film by acclaimed Indian director Girish Kasaravalli. It is based on a short story by the same name by Kannada writer Vaidehi....
film. Which is directed by four time Swarna Kamal National award winner director Girish Kasaravalli
Girish Kasaravalli
Girish Kasaravalli is a noted film director, and one of the pioneers of the Parallel Cinema in Kannada cinema, who has won the National Film Award for Best Film four times, Ghatashraddha , Tabarana Kathe , Thaayi Saheba and Dweepa...
.
Movie experience
(if i am not wrong, she debuted with AV Sheshagiri Rao's 1981 movie Pattanake Banda Patniyaru)She started her movie career with an inconsequential role in the movie Anubhava opposite Kashinath
Kashinath
Kashinath is an actor and a director in the Kannada Film Industry in India, generally known in the industry as a trend setter. He probably started the trend of acting, directing, music directing and the producing of films...
in the late 1980s. Even though she had only a supporting role - which had a comic streak and also grey shades - in the movie, her acting was appreciated by one and all. She even bagged an award for the role. But later she was branded for same kind of comedy roles bordering on the line of indecency with double meaning dialogs. Initially she formed the best pair with N. S. Rao and with his unique kind of dialog delivery, they both regaled the Kannada audiences in many movies. Later after the actor's demise she was paired with Mukhyamantri Chandru, Doddanna and karibasavaiah with whom also she formed a great pairing and shared a unique comic timing. Her acting in the movie Kotigalu Sir Kotigalu as Muniyamma a limp washer-women was enjoyed thoroughly by children as well as grown-ups.
The role in the movie Puttananja changed everything for Umashree. Her portrayal of an 80 years old grandmother in the movie made everyone sit-up and notice her immense talent, even though she was praised for her performances in movies like Tayyavva, Amrutha Ghalige
Amrutha Ghalige
Amrutha Ghalige is a 1984 Kannada movie directed by Puttanna Kanagal starring Ramakrishna, Padmavasanthi and Sridhar.- Plot:This movie deals with the cause and consequences of teenage pregnancy. The heroine, hailing from a poor background, falls in love with an affluent young man. The young man...
, Sangya Balya, etc. Later she was provided better roles which had immense scope to perform and display her talent by many directors S. V. Rajendra Singh Babu, Yograj Bhat
Yograj Bhat
Yograj Bhat is a prominent Kannada film director, producer, screenwriter and a lyricist. He is most predominantly known for the 2006 film Mungaru Male, which he co-wrote with Preetam Gubbi. He was also the director of the film and was one of the lyricists in the film...
. Her portrayal as an aged prostitute trying hard to save her daughter from the flesh-trade in the movie Mani was exemplary and won her Karnataka State award for Best Supporting Actress in the year 2005. She is the only Kannada actress to receive Karnataka State awards/prizes (Silver Medals) six times conferred on her by one Governor and six chief ministers of karnataka. She is also the recipient of the state's prestigious 'Rajyothsava Award' Gold Medal
Gold Medal
Gold Medal is the sixth studio album by the American hard rock band The Donnas, released in 2004 on Atlantic Records. It was one of the first albums released in the DualDisc format, but was recalled due to a mastering error which resulted in the final track being partially omitted from the CD...
.
Umashree starred in the 2008 film Gulabi Talkies
Gulabi Talkies
Gulabi Talkies is a 2008 Kannada film by acclaimed Indian director Girish Kasaravalli. It is based on a short story by the same name by Kannada writer Vaidehi....
directed by Girish Kasaravalli
Girish Kasaravalli
Girish Kasaravalli is a noted film director, and one of the pioneers of the Parallel Cinema in Kannada cinema, who has won the National Film Award for Best Film four times, Ghatashraddha , Tabarana Kathe , Thaayi Saheba and Dweepa...
,which even bought her The Osians' Cinefan Film Festival's Best Actress Award. She was also nominated for the Best Actress award for Gulabi Talkies at Middle East International Film Festival
Middle East International Film Festival
Abu Dhabi Film Festival is an international film festival. Created in 2007, the ceremony is held annually in October in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage , under the patronage of Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of the ADACH...
Abu Dhabi 2008. And presently Gulabi Talkies is also nominated for Indian International Film Festival 2008 for Indian Panorama category. She has also received Karnataka State award for Best Actress for the year 2008 for the same movie.
She is currently acting in various movies which offers her better roles. She is interested in politics and was an MLC (Member of Legislative Council) in the Karnataka State Government and currently she is the Chairman for Other Backward Class Department in Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee. She had also contested in the 13th Karnataka State Assembly elections from Terdal constituency in Bagalkot district, under an Indian National Congress Congress ticket. But she lost the election with a reasonable margin. And that to was with just 20 days of campaigning, though it was the same for her as well as her opponent
Television experience
- Nondavara Haadu (documentary on leprosy) Directed by T. S Ranga for Doordarshan
- Hattye (telefilm) directed by Dr. H. Girijamma for Doordarshan
- Musanje (serial) directed by T. S Nagabarana for Udaya TV
- Musanje Katha Prasanga (serial) directed by Prakash Belawadi for ETv
- Kicchu (serial) directed by Chaitanya for ETv
- Amma Ninagagi for ETv
Personal life
Umashree's husband had deserted her at a very early age and had married someone else. She had single-handedly brought up her two children. That is the reason she took to acting - to ably support her family. Her elder daughter Gayathri is a dentist and completed her Master of Dental Surgery and her son Vijayakumar is an Advocate, also completed his Post Graduation in Master of Laws from Australia. She is also involved in many social activities in upliftment of rural and suppressed women and has done many stage-plays highlighting the issues they face, in many interior villages of Karnataka. She also brought these issues to notice of the Karnataka government as a sitting MLC.Awards
She has been awarded with many awards and prizes and to name few are:- International Award - Best Actress at Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab CinemaOsian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab CinemaOsian's-Cinefan, the largest film-festival devoted to Asian and Arab cinema, is part of Osian's Film House Division. The festival celebrated its 10th anniversary in July 2008.-History:...
2008 for Gulabi Talkies.
Nominated for international Award as Best Actress for ‘Gulabi Talkies’ at Middle East International Film Festival, Abu Dhabi 2008
- National Award (Rajat Kamal) - Best Actress 55th National Film Awards55th National Film AwardsThe 55th National Film Awards is presented to the best of Indian Cinema released during the year 2007.-Feature Films:Films made in any Indian language shot on 16 mm, 35 mm or in a wider gauge or digital format but released on a film format or video/digital but certified by the Central Board of Film...
for Gulabi TalkiesGulabi TalkiesGulabi Talkies is a 2008 Kannada film by acclaimed Indian director Girish Kasaravalli. It is based on a short story by the same name by Kannada writer Vaidehi....
. This will be given by President Of India and on behalf of Government Of India. - Rajyothsava Award 1999-2000 - Gold Medal - Karnataka State Government's highest honour for her enormous service to the Theatre and Film industry).
- Filmfare - Best Supporting ActressFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – KannadaThe Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for Kannada films.-External links:*...
(2010) for Krishnan Love StoryKrishnan Love StoryKrishnan Love Story is a 2010 Kannada film directed by Shashank and starring Ajay Rao, Radhika Pandit, Umashri, Achuth Kumar, Sharan, Pradeep, Harsha, Chandra. The music of this film is composed by Sridhar V Sambhram.-Plot:...
at 58th Filmfare Awards South58th Filmfare Awards SouthThe 58th Filmfare Awards South ceremony honoring the winners and nominees of the best of South Indian cinema in 2010 was held on July 2, 2011 in Hyderabad, India.-Tamil:*Nominations** 9 nominations: Aayirathil Oruvan...
held on July 2, 2011 in Hyderabad. - State Awards (6 times Rajata Kamala) from Government of Karnataka fllms are Yaru Hone - Sangya Balya - Kottreshi Kanasu - Kurigalu Sar Kurigalu - Mani - Gulabi Talkies. First Lady in Kannada Film Industry.
- Karnataka Nataka Academy Award 1997-98
- NTR Puraskar by the Karnataka Telugu Academy in association with NTR Fans' Association and other Telugu cultural organisations.
- Devika Rani Memorial Award – 1996 being honoured by Veteran Actor Dev AnandDev AnandDharam Dev Anand , better known as Dev Anand , is an Indian Hindi Cinema actor, director and film producer. Dev is the second of three brothers who were active in Hindi Cinema. His brothers are Chetan Anand and Vijay Anand. Their sister, Sheel Kanta Kapur, is the mother of renowned Hindi and...
- Madras Film Fans’ Award – 3 times.
- TV Ratna Puraskar 2010 by Karnataka Television Association.
- Aryabhatta Award (Twice)
- K. V. Shankare Gowda Award 2004-05
- Felicitation by Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce and Karnataka Film Directors’ Association in 2008 (for being the first Kannada actress to obtain an International Award).
- Basava Guru Karunya Prashasthi
- Former Chief Minister Late D. Devaraj Urs National Sri Rathna Award - 1999 (for serving women, children and in particular the social and economical Backward Class).
- Sri. M. Vishweswaraiah Memorial Award (for Social Service)
- Nekarara Bhushana Award (for the Upliftment of Weaver Sector)
- International Fellowship - Paul Harris fellowship by Rotary International.
Apart from these she has also received more than twenty Best Actress prizes in different Industrial Competition Plays.
Filmography
- Dhani (1996) (Co-Actors: Vishnuvardhan, Vineetha, Taara, Directed by C H Baalaji Singh Baabu, music by Saadhu Kokila)
- Onde Goodina Hakkigalu