Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthdate
1950-09-18
Day of Death
2009-12-30
Place of Birth
Mysore, Karnataka, India
Vishnuvardhan
Biography
Sampath Kumar (18 September 1950 – 30 December 2009), known by his stage name Vishnuvardhan, was an Indian actor who worked predominantly in Kannada cinema besides also having sporadically appeared in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and Malayalam language films. Vishnuvardhan has a prolific career spanning over four decades, during which he has acted in more than 220 films. A popular cultural icon of Karnataka, and holds the status of a matinée idol among the Kannada diaspora. He is popularly called as Sahasa Simha, Dada and The Angry Young Man of Kannada Cinema. Vishnuvardhan's contributions to Kannada cinema have been praised by his contemporaries in the Indian film industry. The Government of Karnataka honoured him with the highest civilian awards of Karnataka State, the Karnataka Ratna Award in 2025, Rajyothsava Prashasthi in 1990 and the Dr. Rajkumar Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007 for his contributions to Kannada cinema. He was called The Phoenix of Indian Cinema. In 2008, a poll conducted by CNN-IBN listed Vishnuvardhan as the most popular star in the Kannada film industry.
Filmography (149)
Nagarahavu
2016
Aptharakshaka
2010
School Master
2010
Bellary Naga
2009
Namyajamanru
2009
Ee Bandhana
2007
Maathaad Maathaadu Mallige
2007
Ekadanta
2007
Sirivantha
2006
Neenello Nanalle
2006
Vishnu Sena
2005
Varsha
2005
Jyeshta
2004
Sahukara
2004
