M. S. Umesh

M. S. Umesh
Umesh in 2023
Born(1945-04-24)24 April 1945
Mysore, Kingdom of Mysore, India
Died30 November 2025(2025-11-30) (aged 80)
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Occupations
  • Actor
  • producer
  • director
Years active1960–2023

Mysore Srikantayya Umesh (24 April 1945 – 30 November 2025), popularly known as M. S. Umesh or simply Umesh, was an Indian actor in Kannada cinema who had a career spanning over six decades.[1] After having featured in several stage shows as an actor in his childhood, he was hired for the lead character in the film Makkala Rajya (1960). Thereafter, he acted in over 350 feature films. Brother of actor MS Sathya, Umesh was renowned for his unique dialogue delivery, facial expressions and comedy timing. He was also the music director of the television serial Jeevanada Jenahanigalu produced by Sundar Raj.[2]

Background

Umesh was born on 24 April 1945 to A. L. Srikantayya and Nanjamma. His basic schooling was in Mysore where he was drawn towards theatre and stage performances. At the age of 4, he joined the popular theatre troupe run by K. Hirannaiah. Soon he joined the more famous Gubbi Veeranna's company and performed various roles as a child artist. It was in one such stage plays that the then assistant director Puttanna Kanagal noticed him and recommended his name to B. R. Panthulu's next film.[3]

Umesh's first appearance as an actor on the silver screen was with Makkala Rajya in 1960 directed by veteran actor-director B. R. Panthulu for his Padmini films banner. This was also the second film produced by M. V. Rajamma. This film also featured veteran Tamil actor Sivaji Ganesan in a cameo role.

Career

After the superhit debut film, Umesh who was 15, could no longer feature in child roles nor in adult roles, either. He moved back to stage shows and took up jobs which included some back stage labour works. He struggled to find himself a good role in drama plays too. It was then that Puttanna Kanagal again came to his rescue and cast him in his anthology film Katha Sangama (1977). His portrayal as "Thimmarayi" in the Munithaayi episode featuring Rajinikanth and Aarathi fetched him multiple laurels including the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. Starting from here, Umesh was cast in a series of films from the 1980s to the 2000s. Some of his best remembered films include Nagara Hole (1978), Guru Shishyaru (1981), Anupama (1981), Kaamana Billu (1983), Apoorva Sangama (1984), Shruthi Seridaaga (1987), Shravana Banthu (1984), Malaya Marutha (1986), Golmaal Radhakrishna (1990), Neenu Nakkare Haalu Sakkare (1993), Venkata in Sankata (2007) to name a few.

Umesh's comedy role as "Sithapathi" in the 1990 comedy film, Golmaal Radhakrishna starring Ananth Nag in the lead is considered one of the best comedy roles in Kannada cinema. His catchy dialogue "Apaartha Madkondbitro Eno" is widely acclaimed among the masses.[4] His role as an old toothless widow grandmother in Ramesh Aravind's directorial Venkata in Sankata was also widely appreciated.[5]

Death

Umesh died from liver cancer in a Bengaluru hospital on 30 November 2025, at the age of 80.[6][7]

Selected filmography

Awards

References

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