Darshan Thoogudeepa Biography:
Darshan Thoogudeepa (born 16 February 1977), known mononymously as Darshan, is a prominent Indian actor, producer, and distributor primarily active in Kannada cinema. As one of the leading contemporary actors in the industry, Darshan established the production house Thoogudeepa Productions in 2006. The company’s first production was “Jothe Jotheyali,” featuring Darshan in a special appearance. His performances in films such as “Anatharu” (2007) and “Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna” (2012) garnered critical acclaim, with the latter earning him the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of the 19th-century warrior Sangolli Rayanna.
Darshan Thoogudeepa Early Life:
He began his acting career in soap operas and small films during the mid-1990s. Darshan’s first major lead role was in the 2002 film “Majestic.” He went on to star in several commercially successful films, including “Kariya” (2003), “Kalasipalya” (2005), “Gaja” (2008), “Navagraha” (2008), “Saarathi” (2011), “Bulbul” (2013), “Yajamana” (2019), “Roberrt” (2021), and “Kaatera” (2023).
Darshan Thoogudeepa Personal Life:
Darshan was born to actor Thoogudeepa Srinivas and Meena on 16 February 1977 in Ponnampet, Kodagu district, Karnataka. He was named Hemanth Kumar at birth. Thoogudeepa is the title of a 1966 Kannada film that brought fame to Srinivas, earning him the sobriquet that became part of his name. Despite his father’s reluctance to see him pursue a career in acting, Darshan enrolled in Ninasam, a theatre training institute in Shimoga, against his father’s wishes. Tragically, his father passed away in 1995.
Darshan has a sister, Divya, and a younger brother, Dinakar, who is a filmmaker and runs the production house Thoogudeepa Productions. Darshan received his primary and secondary education in Mysuru.
Darshan Thoogudeepa Career:
After graduating from Ninasam, Darshan initially worked as a projectionist before transitioning to become an assistant cameraman under veteran cinematographer B. C. Gowrishankar. His acting career took off with a television soap directed by S. Narayan, who later offered him a supporting role in the 1997 film Mahabharatha.
Subsequently, Darshan appeared in several films such as Devara Maga (2000), Ellara Mane Dosenoo (2000), Bhoothayyana Makkalu (2000), and Mr. Harishchandra (2001), mostly in minor and supporting roles. During this period, he also had minor roles in various television serials.
Darshan’s breakthrough came with Majestic (2001), directed by P. N. Satya, where he portrayed the character of Daasa, an innocent youth turned underworld don. He continued to feature in successful films such as Kariya (2003), Kalasipalya (2004), Gaja (2008), Navagraha (2008), and Yodha (2009).
In the subsequent decade, Darshan starred in numerous films including Porki (2010), Boss (2011), Prince (2011), Saarathi (2011), Chingari (2012), and Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna (2012), for which he won his first Karnataka State Film Award and Filmfare Award for Best Actor.
He continued his successful streak with films like Bulbul (2013), Brindavana (2013), Ambareesha (2014), Mr. Airavata (2015), Viraat (2016), Jaggu Dada (2016), Chakravarthy (2017), Tarak (2017), Yajamana (2019), Kurukshetra (2019), Odeya (2019), Roberrt (2021), and Kranti (2023).
His most recent release, Kranti (2023), saw Darshan portraying a businessman who embarks on a mission to combat corruption in the education system. The film received mixed reviews but enjoyed a successful theatrical run coinciding with the Indian Republic Day holiday on January 26, 2023.
Darshan Thoogudeepa Wife & Son:
In 2003, Darshan married his relative Vijayalakshmi, who was a chemical engineering student at the time, at the Dharmasthala Temple. The couple has a son named Vineesh. Darshan runs his own mini zoo in the far east of Mysuru, near Malavalli. Apart from his love for wildlife, Darshan is also passionate about cars and bikes.
Darshan Thoogudeepa controversy:
In September 2011, Darshan was involved in a controversy when his wife filed a complaint accusing him of domestic violence. He was arrested and spent 14 days in judicial custody at Parappana Agrahara. The marital discord was later settled out of court, and Darshan issued a public apology to his fans for the controversy. Despite the incident, his immediate release, Saarathi (2011), performed well at the box office.
In 2016, his wife approached Bengaluru police with another complaint regarding Darshan’s ‘objectionable behaviour.’ In 2021, Darshan was accused of assaulting a waiter at a Mysuru hotel, with allegations that the police had covered up the incident and the waiter was given Rs 50,000 as settlement. In 2022, Kannada film producer Bharat lodged a police complaint against Darshan, accusing him of making threats.
In January 2023, Forest Department personnel raided Darshan’s farmhouse near T. Narsipur and seized four Bar-headed geese, citing illegal possession.
In January 2024, actress Pavithra Gowda posted a reel celebrating a decade anniversary, which revealed that Darshan had an extramarital affair. Despite these revelations, Darshan remains married to his wife, Vijayalakshmi.
According to reports, Darshan was arrested in Mysuru last night in connection with a murder case. It is reported that he has been arrested in connection with the murder of a person named Renuka Swamy, who allegedly sent obscene messages to actress Pavithra Gowda. Along with Darshan, ten other individuals have been taken into custody. The victim, Renuka Swamy, was a worker at a medical shop and hailed from Chitradurga. He was killed a month ago, but the body was discovered on Saturday. We should await further details.
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