Anant Nag: Difference between revisions

| image        = Anantnag actor.jpg

| caption      = Nag in 2016

| birth_place  = [[Bombay]], [[Bombay State]], [[Dominion of India]] (present-day [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]])

| years_active  = 1973 - present

| spouse        = [[Gayatri (actress)]]

'''Anant Nagarkatte''' (born 4 September 1948), better known as '''Anant Nag''', is an [[Indian people|Indian]] actor whose predominant contribution has been in [[Cinema of Karnataka|Kannada cinema]].<ref name="versatile">{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/233424/versatile-veteran.html|title=Versatile Veteran|publisher=[[Deccan Herald]]|date=10 March 2012}}</ref> He has acted in over 300 titles which includes over 200 Kannada films and [[Marathi language|Marathi]], [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]], [[Telugu language|Telugu]] and [[Hindi language|Hindi]] films.<ref name="Nag">{{cite web|url=http://www.frontline.in/arts-and-culture/cinema/films-were-bolder-in-the-past/article5184996.ece|title=Films were bolder in the past|date=October 2013|publisher=Frontline|accessdate=5 October 2013}}</ref><ref name="Water">{{cite web|url=https://scroll.in/reel/851850/an-actor-should-be-like-water-ego-less-an-interview-with-kannada-icon-anant-nag|title=‘An actor should be like water, ego-less’:An interview with Kannada icon Anant Nag|publisher=Scroll|date=8 October 2017}}</ref> He has featured in [[theatre|theatre plays]], [[parallel cinema]]<ref name="Water" /> and [[television show]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/anant-nag-returns-to-small-screen/article4900193.ece|title=Anant Nag returns to small screen|publisher=The Hindu|date=10 July 2013}}</ref> He is considered to be a versatile artist in Kannada cinema.<ref name="versatile" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/sandalwood/070916/a-brilliant-nagotiator.html|title=A brilliant ‘NAG’otiator|publisher=[[Deccan Chronicle]]|date=7 September 2016}}</ref><ref name="supporting">{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/an-ode-to-the-supporting-actor-826628.html|title=An ode to the supporting actor|publisher=[[Deccan Herald]]|date=17 April 2020}}</ref>  

Nag made his feature film debut through ''Sankalpa'' (1973). His foray into parallel cinema was through [[Shyam Benegal]]'s ''[[Ankur (film)|Ankur]]'' (1974).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/ankur-1974/article3927837.ece|title=Ankur (1974)|publisher=The Hindu|date=23 September 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/brunch/ht-brunch-cover-story-over-the-top-and-on-point-with-shyam-benegal/story-TnqUIfItpAGhf8Nl3c3dUJ.html|title=HT Brunch Cover Story: Over the top and on point with Shyam Benegal|publisher=Hindustan Times|date=11 October 2019}}</ref> His commercially successful Kannada movies have been [[Naa Ninna Bidalaare]] (1979), [[Chandanada Gombe]] (1979), [[Benkiya Bale]] (1983), [[Hendthighelbedi|Hendthige Helbedi]] (1989), [[Ganeshana Maduve]] (1990), [[Gauri Ganesha|Gowri Ganesha]] (1991), [[Mungaru Male]]y (2006) and [[Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu]] (2016).<ref name="Water" />

He acted in ''[[Malgudi Days (TV series)|Malgudi Days]]'', a [[Doordarshan]] aired<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theprint.in/features/malgudi-days-to-karamchand-the-doordarshan-classics-that-deserve-a-lockdown-comeback/408984/|publisher=The Print|title=Malgudi Days to Karamchand – the Doordarshan classics that deserve a lockdown comeback|date=25 April 2020}}</ref> television series based on the stories of [[R. K. Narayan]]. He is a recipient of six [[Filmfare Awards South]] and five [[Karnataka State Film Awards]]. He was the elder brother of acclaimed director and actor [[Shankar Nag]].

Anant Nag was born in a [[Konkani language|Konkani]]-speaking family on 4 September 1948 to Anandi and Sadanand Nagarkatte in the Chowpatty suburb of [[Mumbai]].<ref name="birth">{{cite news |title= About real life and reel lives |url= http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/About-real-life-and-reel-lives/articleshow/6765949.cms |newspaper= The Times of India |date= October 2010 |accessdate= 9 March 2014}}</ref> He has an elder sister, Shyamala and his younger brother was Shankar Nag.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/514668/a-stroll-down-memory-lane.html|title=A stroll down memory lane|publisher=[[Deccan Herald]]|date=30 November 2015}}</ref>

Nag did his early schooling in a [[catholic school]] in Ajjarkad, [[Udupi district|Udupi]], Ananda Ashrama in [[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Chitrapur Math]] in [[Uttara Kannada]] districts of the erstwhile [[Mysore State]] (now Karnataka).<ref>{{cite url|url=https://starofmysore.com/i-used-to-spin-charakha-daily-for-an-hour-at-ananda-ashram-anant-nag/|title=I used to spin charakha daily for an hour at Ananda Ashram: Anant Nag|publisher=Star of Mysore|date=15 February 2020}}</ref> In class 9th standard, he was sent to [[Mumbai]] for further study.<ref name="birth"/> He attempted to join the armed services but was rejected by the [[Indian Army|Army]] for being underweight and by the [[Indian Air Force|Air Force]] for poor eyesight.<ref name = "tougher">{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/sandalwood/040320/anant-nag-being-a-politician-is-tougher-than-acting-a-politician.html|title=Anant Nag: Being a politician is tougher than acting a politician|date=4 March 2020|publisher=Deccan Chronicle}}</ref> He was drawn towards the theatre movement of Mumbai and he was selected to act in Konkani, Kannada and Marathi-language plays which he did until he turned 22.<ref name="Nag" />

He began his career by three act Konkani plays. He went on to work in plays of [[Satyadev Dubey]], [[Girish Karnad]] and [[Amol Palekar]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/i-was-influenced-by-english-cinema-and-absurd-plays-anant-nag/article30975399.ece|title=I was influenced by English cinema and absurd plays: Anant Nag |publisher=[[The Hindu]]|date=3 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/entertainment/%E2%80%98I-am-an-untrained-actor%E2%80%99/article14389915.ece|title=‘I am an untrained actor’|publisher=[[The Hindu]]|date=7 June 2016}}</ref> For a period of about five years, he acted in Konkani, Kannada, Marathi and Hindi plays.<ref name="Water" />

Following a theatre career in Mumbai, Nag made his film debut with ''Sankalpa'', a 1973 Kannada film. Nag then grew to become a core part of parallel cinema, which was at its peak in the 1970s and ’80s.<ref name="Water" /> Being introduced to director [[Shyam Benegal]] by theatre director Satyadev Dubey,<ref name="Water" /> he starred in six of Benegal’s films: Ankur(1974), [[Nishant (film)|Nishant]] (1975), [[Manthan]] (1976), [[Bhumika (film)|Bhumika]] (1978), [[Kondura]] (1978) and [[Kalyug (1981 film)|Kalyug]] (1981).

His arrival into Kannada movies was through [[G. V. Iyer]]'s [[Hamsageethe]] (1975). Anant Nag plays the role of a disciple of [[carnatic music|carnatic]] singing. The film went on to win the [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada]].<ref name="iffi">{{cite web |title= 23rd National Film Awards |url= http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm23rdNFAAward.aspx?PdfName=23NFA.pdf |website= iffi.nic.in |accessdate= 9 March 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110526091043/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm23rdNFAAward.aspx?PdfName=23NFA.pdf |archive-date= 26 May 2011 |url-status= dead }}</ref>

Anant Nag acted in 13 episodes of the television series, Malgudi days which were based on the stories by R. K. Narayan and directed by his brother Shankar Nag.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/how-shankar-nags-malgudi-days-came-to-life-835811.html|title=How Shankar Nag's Malgudi Days came to life|publisher=[[Deccan Herald]]|date=10 May 2020}}</ref>

His portrayal of an [[Alzheimer|Alzheimer's]] patient in Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu (2016) has received critical acclaim and contributed to making this experimental movie, a commercial success.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/Godhi-Banna-Sadharana-Mykattu-Out-to-steal-your-heart/article14382559.ece|publisher=The Hindu|title=Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu: Out to steal your heart|date=3 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.filmfare.com/reviews/movie-review-godhi-banna-sadharana-maikattu-13709.html|publisher=Filmfare|title=Movie Review: Godhi Banna Sadharana Maikattu|date=6 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/Four-Kannada-experiments-run-to-packed-houses/article14411491.ece|publisher=The Hindu|title=Four Kannada experiments run to packed houses|date=8 June 2016}}</ref>

He was a MLC, MLA and a minister in [[J. H. Patel]] government.<ref name="tougher" />  

In 2004, he unsuccessfully contested the Chamarajpet constituency, [[Bangalore]] [[Deliberative assembly|assembly]] election from [[Janata Dal (Secular)]]. He was pitched against then [[Chief minister]] of Karnataka, [[S. M. Krishna]] from [[Indian National Congress]] and fellow actor [[Mukhyamantri Chandru]] from [[Bharatiya Janata Party]].<ref>http://www.elections.in/karnataka/assembly-constituencies/chamrajpet.html</ref>

<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-03-14/news-interviews/37712086_1_second-best-film-basanth-kumar-patil-sunil-kumar-desai |title=Karnataka State Film Awards 2010–11 winners |newspaper=The Times of India |date=14 March 2013 |accessdate=19 March 2013}}</ref>

| 1991 || Best Actor || ''[[Gauri Ganesha]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/39thAnnualFilmfareKannadaBestActorActress|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20170208061710/https://archive.org/details/39thAnnualFilmfareKannadaBestActorActress|url-status=dead|title=39th Annual Filmfare Kannada Best Actor Actress : santosh : Free Down…|date=8 February 2017|archivedate=8 February 2017|website=archive.org}}</ref> || {{Won}}