Upendra Rao: Everything About The Kannada Actor!

Upendra Rao is an Indian actor, director, producer, screenwriter, and politician who works predominantly in Kannada movies. Popularly known as Uppi, he entered the film industry as a writer and assistant director to Kashinath. In 1992, Upendra became an independent director with the film Tharle Nan Maga.

Later, he became a lead actor in the 1998 film ‘A’, his own directorial. A recipient of Karnataka State Film Awards and Filmfare awards, Upendra has delivered several hit films such as Upendra, Preethse, Super Star, Uppi 2, I Love You, and Kabzaa. He is also the founder of the political party ‘Uttama Prajaakeeya Party (UPP)’.

Upendra Rao Physical Stats

Upendra Rao Family

Upendra’s parents hail from Kundapura, a coastal town in Udupi, Karnataka. Before the actor was born, his parents relocated to Bangalore in order to earn a living. Upendra belongs to a poor family background and his father Manjunath Rao used to work as a cook at weddings and also owned a small shop. The actor’s mother’s name is Anusuya and he also has an elder brother, Sudhindra.

Upendra Rao Relationships

Upendra met Priyanka Trivedi, an upcoming actress in Bengali and Hindi films for the first time in 2001. It was during the filming of the movie H20. Later, the couple started speaking over the phone and a relationship developed between the two. Finally, in 2003, Upendra tied the knot with Priyanka. The couple has two children, a son Ayush, and a daughter Aishwarya. 

Upendra Rao Education

Upendra did his schooling at Chamrajpet, Bangalore, and he used to be a class topper. Later, the actor joined  APS College and completed his bachelor’s degree in commerce.

Upendra Rao Controversies

In August 2023, police filed an FIR against Upendra under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The action was taken accusing the actor of using offensive words against a particular community during his Facebook Live.

As per news reports, Upendra quoted an old Kannada proverb about Holeyas, a Dalit community. However, the actor later apologized on Facebook. According to him, it was a tongue slip that ended up in the quoting of an old proverb. Upendra also said that he has deleted that video from his social media accounts.

Upendra Rao Profession

Upendra Rao developed a deep interest in theatre during his college days. He along with his friends, formed a small theatre troupe ‘Yuvasree’ and wrote, acted, and directed plays. On realizing that Upendra is quite passionate about cinema, his friends and family members encouraged him to enter the film industry. During that time, actor-director Kashinath spotted him. Thus, Upendra started his career as a writer and assistant director to Kashinath.

In 1992, Upendra Rao directed his debut movie ‘Tharle Nan Maga’. He was also the story writer and screenplay writer of that movie. Upendra got a major break in his career after directing ‘Om’, a movie with Shiva Rajkumar and Prema in the lead roles. The 1995 film turned out to be a massive hit at the box office.

In 1998, Upendra appeared in a lead role in ‘A’, a Kannada film directed by him. Later, he acted in several films such as Upendra, Preethse, Super Star, Kutumba, Gokarna, and Hollywood. He acted in the Telugu films Kanyadanam, Oke Maata, Raa, and Neethone Vuntanu as well. Upendra also appeared in ‘Sathyam’, a Tamil film released in 2008.

After a long gap of 10 years, Upendra was back in the direction of the 2010 movie ‘Super’. The upcoming films from the actor include Buddhivantha 2, Trisulam, and UI.

Upendra Rao Source Of Income

Upendra Rao’s main source of income is from acting and directing films. He also earns income through brand endorsements. The actor is the brand ambassador of leading brands such as Royal Challengers Bangalore, MTR, United Breweries, and Karnataka Milk Federation (Nandini). Reportedly, Upendra’s net worth stands at $20 million.

Lesser Known Facts About Upendra Rao

• During Upendra’s childhood days, a haircut used to cost Rs.5. Due to financial difficulties, the actor’s father used to cut his son’s hair so that he could save that money.

• Upendra’s acting in the lead role in the film ‘A’ happened by chance. Though another person was supposed to play the role, it did not materialize due to reasons unknown.  

• Upendra says that it is his dream to act with Tamil superstar Rajinikanth. After watching the Upendra-directed film ‘Super’ in 2010, Rajini asked the theatres in Tamil Nadu for a special screening of the film.

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