Rangayana Raghu

Koththuru Chikkarangappa Raghunath, known by his screen name Rangayana Raghu, is an Indian film and stage actor, known for his work in Kannada cinema. He is a recipient of multiple Filmfare Awards South, SIIMA Awards, and two Karnataka State Film Awards. Born in Koththuru, a village in the Tumkur district of the erstwhile Mysore State (now Karnataka), to a Bayalaata artist, Raghu was inspired to act as a teenager. He began his career in theatre and worked as a stage actor with B. V. Karanth's theatre group Rangayana, from 1988 to 1999. His first feature film, Suggi, got shelved, and Bhoomi Thayiya Chochchala Maga (1998) was his first release. During the initial phase of his career, Raghu usually portrayed comedic or negative-shaded characters and played supporting roles. His first major break came when he appeared as an antagonist in Dhumm (2002). He is best noted for his performance in the 2007 film Duniya which won him his second Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. His other notable roles during this period came in Ranga SSLC (2004), Suntaragaali (2006), Cyanide (2006), Raam (2009), Olave Mandara (2011) and Jayammana Maga (2013). Later, Raghu progressed to play more character and lead roles, while also appearing frequently in comedic roles. He became noted for his versatility, and earned praise for his performances in films such as Badava Rascal (2021), Family Pack (2022), Rangasamudra (2024) and Shakhahaari (2024). He has appeared in more than 400 films.