Shankar Nag

Shankar Nagarkatte (9 November 1954 – 30 September 1990), known as Shankar Nag, was an actor and director of Kannada cinema. He also directed and acted in the teleserial, Malgudi Days, based on celebrated novelist R.K.Narayan's short stories. Besides these, he was actively involved in Kannada theatre activities. He co-wrote 22 June 1897, an Indian national award-winningMarathi film.

Early career

Shankar Nagarkatte was born on 9 November 1954 in Mallapur village in Honnavar (Uttara Kannada), Karnataka. His parents were Anandi and Sadanand Nagarkatte. His elder brother is the popular Kannada actor Anant Nag. After completing formal education, Shankar moved to Mumbai. In Mumbai, he was attracted to Marathi theatre and immersed himself in theatrical activities. Incidentally, he met his future wife, Arundhathi during a drama rehearsal.Shankar Nag then shifted base to Karnataka. His elder brother Anant Nag had already established himself as an actor and urged Shankar to act in films. He was offered a role of a mercenary by Girish Karnad in the epic movie, Ondanondu Kaladalli, which was loosely based on Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece, Seven Samurai. His debut film as actor fetched him a national award at the Delhi International Film Festival. Thus began his film career, where, in a span of 12 years (from 1978 to 1990) he acted in some 80 Kannada movies, as a leading man, besides co-producing (with actor-brother Anant Nag) and directing some films like Minchina Ota (a rare example of a heist movie in Kannada), Janma Janmada Anubandha and Geetha (both of which had music by South Indian maestro Ilayaraja).

Death

Shankar Nag died in a car crash at Anagodu village on the outskirts of Davanagere town on 30 September 1990, while proceeding to Lokapur in Bagalkot district of Karnataka with his wife Arundhati Nag and daughter Kavya, in the shooting of his film Jokumaraswamy. Sundarakanda was his last film as actor and was released a few days after his death.

For Sundarakanda, Shankar Nag's voice dubbing was fulfilled by Murali, critically acclaimed dubbing artist in the film industry and the second brother of popular actress Sudha Rani.

Nigooda Rahasya, one of his last films also had his brother and the one of the most successful and respected actors Anant Nag complete the voice dubbing for Shankar.