1. Early career

2. Later days
    Directorial debut  Malgudi Days 

3. Death

4. Filmography
    Television 

5. Awards
    Karnataka State Film Awards  Filmfare Awards South  IFFI Award for Best Actor 

6. References

7. External links

Shankar Nagarakatte (9 November 1954 – 30 September 1990) was an Indian actor, screenwriter, director, and producer known for his work in Kannada cinema and television.^[1][2] He directed and acted in the teleserial, Malgudi Days, based on celebrated novelist R. K. Narayan's short stories.

Shankar Nag received the inaugural IFFI Best Actor Award (Male): Silver Peacock Award" at the 7th International Film Festival of India for his work in the film Ondanondu Kaladalli.^[3] He co-wrote 22 June 1897, an Indian national award-winning Marathi film. He is the younger brother of actor Anant Nag.^[4][5]

Early career

Shankar Nagarkatte was born on 9 November 1954 in Udupi, (Previously part of Dakshina Kannada, Now Udupi district).^[6] His parents were Anandi and Sadanand Nagarkatte. Born into a Konkani-speaking family, his family settled in Shirali, a village near Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada of Karnataka State. He had an elder sister, Shyamala, and an elder brother, 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.

Nag then shifted base to Karnataka. His elder brother Anant 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 film Ondanondu Kaladalli (1978). He played Gandugali, a mercenary who earns a position in a rival army after he rescues a few wounded soldiers. He wishes to get even with his rival brother, whom he considers his enemy. He directed 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).^[7]

Later days

Commercial film producers took notice of Shankar Nag and he began acting in typical masala movies. Seetaramu was Shankar Nag's first commercial movie. Shankar was an unconventional hero with an unshaven face, distinct swagger, dark eyes and had a rough voice. Although he had never undergone any martial arts training, he earned the sobriquet of Karate King. His popular films include Auto Raja, Geeta, S.P. Sangliana, and Minchina Ota.

He had also identified himself with the Janata Party in 1980s.

Directorial debut

Shankar began his directorial with Minchina Ota. This won him seven state awards, including the best film. And then came a series of films directed by him. Janma Janmada Anubandha, Geetha, Accident (which won many state and national awards), Ondu Muttina Kathe (with Rajkumar in the lead – loosely based on John Steinbeck's novel The Pearl), Nodi Swamy Navirodu Hige (which has music by the legendary composer G.K. Venkatesh) , Lalach and Hosa Theerpu (remake of Dushman – his only directorial remake in Kannada). His film Accident has treated as a landmark and revolutionary in the Indian Cinema.

Malgudi Days

Shankar did not limit his efforts to cinema. He was equally immersed in theatre and television. Malgudi Days is the best example of Shankar's oeuvre on television. Prior to globalisation, Doordarshan was the only broadcaster in India. In addition to programme production, Doordarshan used to invite private producers to produce television serials. Shankar accepted the offer and directed Malgudi Days, based on the collection of short stories by R.K.Narayan in 1987, under the banner of Padam Rag Films. Well known actors Vishnuvardhan and Anant Nag appeared in the serial. Master Manjunath, who played the role of impish Swami, became a household name.

The music, accompanied by the nasal twang {{YouTube|O9koiLyUQFI|"Tananaa tana na naa"}}^[8] was composed by L. Vaidyanathan.^[9] The teleserial was shot in Agumbe, Shimoga district, Karnataka. Shankar went to direct another teleserial, titled Swami in the same year. Malgudi Days has been rated as one of the finest serials ever to be made in the history of Indian television.^[10][11]

He anchored the Parichaya program on DD1-Kannada, in its starting days.{{Citation needed|date= January 2013}}

Shankar retained an interest in theatre. His brother Anant Nag and he founded SANKET, an amateur theatre group, which still produces plays. His first ever directorial effort in Kannada was Anju Mallige by Girish Karnad. He continued with productions like Barrister, Sandhya Chhaya. Sometime here he was joined by T N Narasimhan who wrote and co-directed Nodi Swamy Navirodu Hige which had, apart from himself, his wife Arundhati Nag and Ramesh Bhat in the cast.

Death

Nag died in a car crash at Anagodu village on the outskirts of Davanagere town on 30 September 1990 during the shooting of his film Jokumaraswamy.^[12][13] His last film as an actor, Sundarakanda, was released a few days after his death. For Sundarakanda, Nag's voice was dubbed by Murali. {{Citation needed|date=March 2019}}Nigooda Rahasya, one of his last films also had his brother, Anant Nag, complete the voice dubbing for Shankar.{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}}

Filmography

Television

Awards

Karnataka State Film Awards

• Best Second Film (1979-80) along with Anant Nag for Minchina Ota
• Best Director (1979-80) for Minchina Ota
• Best Screenplay (1979-80) along with Mariyam Jetpurwala for Minchina Ota
• Best Film (1984-85) for Accident
• Best Director (1984-85) for Accident

Filmfare Awards South

• Best Director (1980) for Minchina Ota

IFFI Award for Best Actor

• Silver Peacock Award for Best Actor (1979) for Ondanondu Kaladalli

References

External links

• {{IMDb name| id=0619053}}

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