From Shivarajkumar to Sudeep: When Kannada heroes fought terrorists and anti-national elements onscreen

Across generations, Kannada actors have often played men in uniform, be it in the police or army units, but rarely has the profession been at the centre of the narrative. Sahasa Simha Vishnuvardhan was among the earliest to headline a film that was a family drama, and yet also centred on his life as a soldier on the frontline. In the years since, several other actors, including Ravichandran, Shivarajkumar, Sudeep, Puneeth Rajkumar and, more recently Vikky Varun, played army men onscreen.

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Mass Leader 

Director Narasimha’s 2017 action drama had Shivarajkumar in the lead as INA Captain Shivraj. In the film, he fights anti-national elements, Bangladeshi infiltrators and Pakistani terrorists with the help of his trusted allies. The film also starred Pranitha Subhash Vamsi Krishna, Vijay Raghavendra, Yogesh, Gururaj Jaggesh, Sharmiela Mandre, Ashika Ranganath and Parinitha Kitty.

Hebbuli 

Kiccha Sudeep played a para commando for the first time in his career in cinematographer-turned-director S Krishna’s Hebbuli. While his love track involved saving the heroine from terrorists, the rest of the story focuses on his mission to find out what really transpired in the mysterious death of his brother, an IAS officer. Ravichandran played the brother, while Amala Paul was the romantic interest. Also on the cast were Ravi Kale, P Ravi Shankar, Kabir Duhan Singh, Ravi Kishan, Avinash, Chikkanna, etc.

James 

Power Star Puneeth Rajkumar’s last film as a leading man, James was in production when he passed away tragically. The makers had to resort to some bits of CGI recreation of the actor to complete the film, with the initial theatrical version featuring Shivarajkumar’s voice for Puneeth. They later used AI to create Puneeth’s voice, which was then re-uploaded. Puneeth played a major in the Indian Army, who is deployed on a mission to take down a crime syndicate.

Kaalapatthar 

Kenda Sampige fame Vikky Var un’s directorial debut had him as a BSF jawan relegated to kitchen duty, until he single-handedly thwarts an infiltration bid by terrorists on his barracks, which then gives him his dream posting, on the frontlines in Kashmir and Rajasthan, among others. The story, though, then becomes about a life-size statue that is erected in recognition of his bravery.