Biography
Madhava Rao was born on 15 January 1919 in Mysore. He was educated at the city's Wesley Mission School where H. L. N. Simha and Mohammed Peer, who would go on to become filmmaker and playwrights respectively, were his seniors. Rao was drawn towards stage acting during his school days and was spotted and cast by A. V. Varadachar in his stage plays produced by Ratnavali Theatrical Company. Rao went on to play a variety of roles for Mohammed Peer's Chandrakala Nataka Company, Gubbi Veeranna's company and Chamundeshwari Nataka Sabha; he was mostly cast to play negative-shaded characters. In his first film, ''Samsara Nauka'' (1936), Rao played Kanyakumari Dikshit "Dikki", alongside B. R. Panthulu and M. V. Rajamma; he also scored music for the film. He appeared in the Tamil language, Tamil-Kannada bilingual film, ''Mudhal Thethi, Modala Thedi'' (1955) and also playback-sang for the first time, "Ondarinda Ippattara Varegu", a song that became popular during the time. He played a traitor in ''Kittur Chennamma (film), Kittur Chennamma'' (1961). In ''Bhakta Chetha (1961 film), Bhakta Chetha'', he played the villainous Beeranna. Rao played an irresponsible father of two children (played by Dr. Rajkumar, Rajkumar and Kalpana (Kannada actress), Kalpana) in ''Saaku Magalu'' (1963), who takes to squandering money. In ''Sri Ramanjaneya Yuddha'' (1963), he played sage Vishvamitra. He played Seshappa, a Municipal corporation (India), corporator, in the comedy film ''Emme Thammanna'' (1966). Rao's other notable performances came in ''Krishnaleela'' (1947) and ''Rathnagiri Rahasya'' (1957). On 21 March 1979, while performing on stage in Challakere, Chitradurga district, Chitradurga, Rao suffered from a paralysis on one of his legs, leaving him bedridden for six years. He died on 14 July 1985, leaving behind five children — two sons and three daughters.Partial filmography
* ''Samsara Nauka'' (1936)...Kanyakumari Dikshit "Dikki" * ''Radha Ramana (film), Radha Ramana'' (1943) * ''Vani (film), Vani'' (1943) * ''Krishnaleela'' (1947) * ''Shiva Parvathi'' (1950) * ''Mudhal Thethi, Modala Thedi'' (1955) * ''Shivasharane Nambekka'' (1955) * ''Bhakta Vijaya'' (1956) * ''Pancharathna'' (1956)...Paranjyoti * ''Bhaktha Markandeya'' (1957) * ''Rathnagiri Rahasya'' (1957) * ''Varadakshine'' (1957) * ''School Master (1958 film), School Master'' (1958) * ''Abba Aa Hudugi'' (1959) * ''Kuzhandhaigal Kanda Kudiyarasu, Makkala Rajya'' (1960) * ''Kittur Chennamma (film), Kittur Chennamma'' (1961) * ''Raja Satyavrata'' (1961) * ''Gaali Gopura'' (1962) * ''Shri Shaila Mahathme'' (1961) * ''Sri Dharmasthala Mahathme'' (1962) * ''Thejaswini'' (1962) * ''Jeevana Tharanga'' (1963) * ''Kanyarathna'' (1963) * ''Paalige Bandadde Panchamrutha'' (1963) * ''Saaku Magalu'' (1963) * ''Mane Aliya'' (1964) * ''Navakoti Narayana'' (1964) * ''Sarvagna Murthy'' (1965) * ''Emme Thammanna'' (1966) * ''Premamayi'' (1966) * ''Black Market (film), Black Market'' (1967) * ''Dhana Pishachi'' (1967) * ''Nakkare Ade Swarga'' (1967) * ''Onde Balliya Hoogalu'' (1967) * ''Hoovu Mullu'' (1968) * ''Lakshadheeshwara'' (1968) * ''Mannina Maga'' (1968) * ''Simha Swapna'' (1968) * ''Bhale Kiladi'' (1970) * ''Anugraha'' (1971) * ''Mukthi'' (1971) * ''Namma Baduku'' (1971) * ''Bangarada Kalla'' (1973) * ''Jwala Mohini'' (1973) * ''Chamundeshwari Mahime'' (1974) * ''Maadi Madidavaru'' (1974) * ''Bhagya Jyothi'' (1975) * ''Bili Hendthi'' (1975) * ''Mahadeshwara Pooja Phala'' (1975) * ''Naga Kanye'' (1975) * ''College Ranga'' (1976) * ''Shani Prabhava'' (1977) * ''Bhale Huduga'' (1978) * ''Antha (film), Antha'' (1981) * ''Dharmasere'' (1979)...Shamachar * ''Udugore'' (1979) * ''Bekkina Kannu'' (1984)References
External links
* {{authority control 1919 births 1985 deaths Male actors in Kannada cinema Indian male film actors Kannada male actors 20th-century Indian male actors