Saurav Lokesh (born 28 May 1984), also known as Bhajarangi Loki, is an Indian actor who predominantly works in Kannada cinema. He rose to the fame with the 2013 blockbuster Bhajarangi.[1][2]
Saurav Lokesh | |
|---|---|
 Saurav Lokesh | |
| Born | 28 May 1984 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Alma mater | National College Jayanagar, Bangalore. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2009–present |
Early life
editSaurav was born as youngest son to V. Ramakrishna & L. Rajalakshmi in Srinagar Bangalore district, Karnataka. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, from National College, Jayanagar. He was employed at HSBC before he resigned and followed his passion for acting and started doing theatre.[3]
Career
editLokesh started his acting journey from theatre in the year 2006. He has worked with most of the amateur & professional theatre groups from 2006 to 2014, which includes more than 30 plays which has been performed over 100+ shows. While he was doing theatre he managed to get into television serials and started doing supporting roles but did not achieve much success.[citation needed]
Saurav Lokesh made his sandalwood debut in the year 2009 with a small role in the movie Savaari directed by Jacob Verghese. He then appeared in small supporting roles in Huli, AK 56, and Shiva, all directed by Om Prakash Rao, between 2010 and 2012. He appeared as minor antagonists in Googly and Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari.[citation needed]
He has appeared in more than 12 movies in small supporting roles before getting his breakthrough performance in Bhajarangi, directed by A. Harsha, which won him many applause and was praised for his role as Rana. The movie was a commercial hit and got him wide recognition as an actor and he became popular as Bhajarangi Loki.[4][5][6] In the year 2015 he appeared Rathaavara as a transgender, which furthered his fame.[7][8] He also played a role of a lawyer in Mahakaali.[9] He also appeared as an antagonist in Sharp Shooter. In 2016, he appeared in the movie Jaguar; a bilingual film in both Kannada and Telugu, this was Lokesh's Telugu debut.[10] In the same year, he also appeared as one of the lead antagonists in Jai Maruthi 800. Saurav appeared in the role of Bhujanga in Raj Vishnu. In Thayige Thakka Maga, Lokesh played an antagonist in the role of Sharath Kale.[11] Later, in 2019, Lokesh played a police officer in the suspense-thriller Striker.[12] In the same year he appeared as Bairaa, an antagonist, in Radhika Kumaraswamy's comeback film Damayanthi, directed by Navarasan.[13] In 2020, he appeared as an antagonist in rom-com fantasy movie Kaanadante Maayavadanu.[14][15]
Filmography
editFilms
edit| Year | Film | Role | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Savaari | Salman | Kannada | |
| 2010 | Mathe Mungaru | Fisherman | Kannada | |
| Huli | College Student | Kannada | ||
| 2012 | AK 56 | Local Goon | Kannada | |
| Narasimha | Local Goon | Kannada | ||
| Shiva | Police Trainee | Kannada | ||
| 2013 | Googly | Local Goon | Kannada | |
| Mangana Kaili Manikya | Kannada | |||
| Sweety Nanna Jodi | Kannada | |||
| Bhajarangi | Rana | Kannada | Nominated for SIIMA in Best Actor in a Negative Role (2014) | |
| 2014 | Sadagara | Kannada | ||
| Belli | Kannada | |||
| Ambareesha | Kannada | |||
| Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari | Ramachari's collegemate | Kannada | ||
| 2015 | Mahakali | Lawyer | Kannada | |
| Just Maduveli | Kannada | |||
| Sharp Shooter | Kannada | |||
| Rathaavara | Maadevi | Kannada | ||
| 2016 | Jai Maruthi 800 | Narasimha | Kannada | |
| Jaguar | Ajay | Kannada | Bilingual | |
| Telugu | ||||
| 2017 | Veera Ranachandi | Lucky | Kannada | |
| Raj Vishnu | Rupai Bhujanga | Kannada | ||
| 2018 | Gaanchali | Johnny | Kannada | [16] |
| Thayige Thakka Maga | SharathKaale | Kannada | Nominated for Filmibeat in Best Actor in a Negative Role (2018) | |
| 2019 | Striker | Purushotham | Kannada | |
| Ranabhoomi | Cop | Kannada | [17] | |
| Damayanthi | Bhaira | Kannada | ||
| Margaret | Ramachari | Kannada | [18] | |
| 2020 | Kaanadante Maayavadanu | Jayanna | Kannada | |
| 2021 | Bhajarangi 2 | Sudheendra | Kannada | [19][20] |
| 2022 | Local Train | Telugu | ||
| Acharya | Rathod's Brother | Telugu | [21] | |
| Nachindi Girl Friendu | Vikram Roy | Telugu | ||
| Takkar | Telugu | |||
| Ghoda | Sambashivudu | Kannada | ||
| 2023 | Raja Marthanda | Jayanna | Kannada | [22] |
| Salaar: Part 1 - Ceasefire | Cheeka | Telugu | ||
| 2024 | Edagaiye Apaghatakke Karana | Kannada |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Nakutanti | Office Boy | Udaya TV | Directed by Giri Raj |
| 2011 | Mahabharata (Kannada) | Younger Bheeshma | Udaya TV | Produced by Cinevistaas Limited |
| 2012 | Cheluvi | Army Officer | Suvarna TV | |
| 2014 | CID Karnataka | CID | Zee Kannada | |
| 2019 | Raktha Chandana | Psycho Killer | Watchoo Channel | Directed by Giri Raj[23] |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year[a] | Film | Award | Category | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Bhajarangi | SIIMA - 2014 | Best Actor in a Negative role | Nominated | [24] |
| 2018 | Thayige Thakka Maga | 'Filmibeat' Best of 2018 | Best Kannada Negative Role 2018 | Nominated | [25] |
Notes
edit- ^ Refers to the year in which the award ceremony was held.
References
edit- ^ "Saurav Lokesh Biography". Nettv4u. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Sourav Lokesh". Chiloka. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Saurav Lokesh Biography". Nettv4u. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Bhajarangi Movie Review". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Bhajarangi Loki". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Bad Boys on the prowl". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Bhajarangi Loki's respect for transgenders increases after acting in Rathaavara". Filmibeat. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Loki in a Mangala Mukhi Avatar in Rathaavara". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Mahakaali Movie Review". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Jaguar drives Bhajarangi Loki to Telugu". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Thayige Takka Maga review : a mediocre outing". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Striker Movie Review". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "'Bhajarangi' Loki to play antagonist in Radhika Kumaraswamy's 'Damayanthi'". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Antagonistic Avatars". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Bhajarangi Loki movies". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Gaanchali Movie Review". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Ranabhoomi Movie Review". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Margaret Movie Review". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Meet the four towering characters of Bhajarangi 2". Times of India. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ^ "Check the first look of actor Saurav Lokesh's Bhajarangi 2". The Prime Time.
- ^ The New Indian Express (21 January 2021). "Bhajarangi-fame Loki makes his Telugu debut with Chiranjeevi's 'Acharya'". Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
- ^ "Raja Marthanda- Movie | Reviews, Cast & Release Date - BookMyShow".
- ^ "Giriraj's next is "Raktha Chandana"". News Karnataka. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "SIIMA 2014 kannada nominations". IBT. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Best kannada negative role 2018". Filmibeat. Retrieved 25 June 2020.