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. He started his career as a theatre actor. During this time, he entered the Kannada film industry as a character actor. Doddanna became noted for playing comedic characters.
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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). However, he continued with the VISL till 1988.
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. He appeared in films such as Ajeya (1985), Sangliyana (1988), Anjada Gandu (1988), Shiva Mecchida Kannappa (1988) and C.B.I. Shankar (1989). His role as the grandfather of Malashri's character in Belli Modagalu (1992) received praise. Doddanna also appeared in Tamil films such as Jai (2004) and Ainthaam Padai (2009).
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.
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