Ahead of Coolie, stream 5 of Real Star Upendra’s classic directorials
Kannada filmmaker-actor Upendra has a pivotal role in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Rajinikanth starrer, which releases in theatres on August 14.
Kannada cinema’s Real Star Upendra is one of the main characters in the Tamil film Coolie, starring Superstar Rajinikanth in the lead. A filmmaker-turned-actor, Upendra had a die-hard fan following for his brand of cinema as a director, which, may have suffered a bit of a dent with his last, UI, but there’s no denying that his eccentric presentation of ideologies are thought-provoking, with some of the films even attaining cult status.
Check out 5 of Upendra’s directorial ventures that we think are a must watch and are available on OTTplay Premium
The horror thriller, which revolves around spooky events at a mansion rented out by a film crew, was a major box office hit. Shhh! introduced Kumar Govind as a mainstream hero and is best known for creating a new trend in the thriller genre in Kannada cinema. Joining Govind on the cast were, Kashinath (whom Upendra considers his mentor), Suresh Heblikar, Biradar, Bank Janardhan, Suma, etc.
Shivarajkumar was introduced to the gangster movie genre by Upendra with Om, the first of its kind in Kannada cinema. A cult classic that has had multiple re-releases over the years, Om follows Shivarajkumar’s character, the son of a priest, who gets dragged into a world of crime and violence. A Interestingly, several real-life gangsters like Bekkina Kannu Rajendra, Tanveer, Korangu Krishna and Jedaralli Krishnappa, were also a part of Om’s cast.
The psychological thriller explored human emotions through the protagonist’s relationships with three women in his life, based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Upendra was paired with Raveena Tandon, Prema, and Damini in the film, which has cult status, but is also seen as the epitome of misogyny and sexism, with his character an alpha male.
The sequel to the 1999 cult hit Upendra, did not have the success of the original, with audiences not warming up to the convoluted narrative, but was still declared a box office hit. The film revolves around how Naanu From Upendra becomes Neenu. The film also stars Kristina Akheeva, Parul Yadav, Sayaji Shinde, Sathyajith and Shobaraj, among others.
After a 10 year hiatus from filmmaking, Upendra returned, with Lady Superstar Nayanthara in tow, for a utopian film set in 2030, that is widely believed to have been the beginning of the actor-filmmaker’s political journey (he has floated a regional party). The film revolves around an NRI who is challenged to bring about tangible changes in the country.
