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Komal Kumar
Komal in 2016 film, Deal Raja
Born	Komal Kumar Shivalingappa (1973-07-04) 4 July 1973 (age 51) Mayasandra, Tumkur, Mysore State (now Karnataka), India
Nationality	Indian
Occupation(s)	Actor, film producer
Years active	1992–present
Spouse	Anasooya (m.1993)
Relatives	Jaggesh (brother)

Komal Kumar (born 4 July 1973), known mononymously as Komal, is an Indian actor and film producer known for his work in Kannada cinema. He made his acting debut with Super Nan Maga in 1992. Since his debut, Komal has acted in over 100 films, initially in comedic roles as a supporting actor before playing lead roles. He is the younger brother of actor Jaggesh, with whom he has frequently collaborated professionally.

Komal has won Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as a supporting actor in the film Thavarige Baa Thangi in 2003. He has also won the South Filmfare Award for his performance in Neenello Naanalle in 2006.

Early life and family

Komal was born into a well-to-do family of industrialists. He completed his studies in Ooty and was interested in taking up the civil service examinations before he lost interest in academics. He subsequently wanted to pursue a course in cinematography at the Film and Television Institute in Pune, but was unable to do so "owing to my academic background in arts." He then took to acting "doing small roles". His brother, Jaggesh, is an established actor in Kannada cinema. Komal's nephews Gururaj and Yethiraj are also actors. His wife Anasooya is a producer who has produced the film Kal Manja. The couple released the film under their home banner Soundarya Lahari Combines.

Career

Komal made his film debut playing a supporting role in his brother's 1992 film Super Nan Maga. In Military Mava (1993), he was cast in a lead role under the stage name of Chiranjeevi. In an interview to Deccan Herald in 2003, he recalled, "Unfortunately, the film flopped miserably and I lost interest in acting. But my brother kept encouraging me to take up more acting assignments. He would always advice me not to give up." He added, "My role of a villain in Soma (1996) against my brother Jaggesh and Subhashri, who is Malashri's sister, was appreciated so much by Malashri that she cast me for her brother's role in her next movie Lady Commissioner." After a string of other films that he acted in failed to do well or failed to fetch him recognition, it was in Thavarige Baa Thangi (2002) that he received appreciation for his performance. He was subsequently cast in Katthegalu Saar Katthegalu (2003).

Komal return to playing a lead role with Mr. Garagasa (2008). However he got a break as a lead actor in the 2009 released Chamkaisi Chindi Udaysi produced by his brother-in-law and his wife. Since then he acted as a solo hero in films such as Maryade Ramanna and Kal Manja.

His 2012 film Govindaya Namaha has been declared a blockbuster catapulting him to the stardom status. The song "Pyarge Aagbittaite" featuring Parul Yadav and himself went viral on the internet. After a string of commercial failures, Komal starred in the horror–comedy Namo Bhootatma (2014), a performance that was received well by critics. Shyam Prasad S. of Bangalore Mirror felt that "Komal does his job well" and that "here are no histrionics with everything cut to the point." Prior to the film's release, Komal had stated that he would quit Kannada films if it failed commercially. After being typecast as an actor who could only play comedic roles, Komal starred in the cop film Kempegowda 2 (2019), the eponymous role that he shed 26 kilograms (57 lb) to play.

After a few years of no releases, Komal appeared in the comedy film Undenaama (2023). He played the role of an engineer Venkatesh whose only aim in life to get married and thereby get the license to have sex, something he had been obsessed with since childhood. The film was not received well by critics who called it "jaded". In the horror-comedy Namo Bhoothathma 2 as Arjun, a prankster and owner of a local television channel, that gets into trouble after he pranks a couple of gangsters. The film received mixed reviews from critics. Shashiprasad S. M. of the South First called him "the only saving grace" of the film, while The New Indian Express wrote, "Komal Kumar's comedic timing acts as a lifeline, serving as the saving grace that ties together the mishmash of gags. His comic brilliance keeps you engaged, often reminiscent of his brother Jaggesh's expressions."

Partial filmography

• All films are in Kannada, unless otherwise noted.

References

1. "Komal Kumar: Movies, Photos, Videos, News, Biography & Birthday". The Times of India. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
2. "Chamkaisi Chindi Udaisi (2009)". www.movies.buzzintown.com. Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
3. ^ Dinesh, Chethana (13 April 2003). "Smile saar, smile". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 3 February 2004. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
4. "Komal Kumar signs films simultaneously". www.realbollywood.com. Archived from the original on 1 February 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
5. "From Darshan-Dinakar to Jaggesh-Komal: A look at the star siblings ruling the Kannada film industry". The Times of India. 25 February 2020.
6. ^ "Komal to act in Vasco Da Gama". The Times of India. 21 January 2013. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
7. Sharanya C. R. (2 February 2012). "Is Pyarge the next Kolaveri in the making?". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 15 January 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
8. Prasad S., Shyam (29 November 2014). "Film Review: Namo Bhootatma". Bangalore Mirror. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
9. "Komal Threatens to Quit Sandalwood". The New Indian Express. 8 October 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
10. George, Nina C. (15 September 2020). "Will attend to flooding, says new BBMP administrator". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
11. Sebastian R., Shilpa (8 August 2019). "Komal goes from being overweight to a fit cop in Kempegowda 2". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
12. Lokesh, Vinay (14 April 2023). "Undenama Movie Review : Komal carries this comic capper solely on his shoulders". The Times of India. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
13. Joy, Prathibha (3 June 2023). "Undenaama review: Komal and Harish Raj lead adult comedy that isn't fun". OTTPlay. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
14. S. M., Shashiprasad (4 August 2023). "Namo Bhoothathma 2 review: A ghastly affair of 11 ghosts that intolerably haunt for over two hours". The South First. Archived from the original on 5 August 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
15. Sharadhaa, A. (5 August 2023). "'Namo Bhoothathma 2' movie review: Komal Kumar anchors this lacklustre horror comedy". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 5 August 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
16. Vinay Lokesh. "Komal croons for Karodpathi". The Times of India.

External links

• Komal Kumar at IMDb
• Komal Kumar Filmography
• Komal Interview

• Biography

• Media from Commons
• Data from Wikidata

• Kannada actors
• Indian male film actors
• Male actors in Kannada cinema
• Living people
• Male actors from Karnataka
• People from Tumakuru district
• Indian male comedians
• 21st-century Indian male actors
• 1973 births