Kannada film hero of yesterdays – Vidyasagar, known by the screen name Rajesh

Vidyasagar, best known by the screen name – Rajesh (1935 – 2022) was a veteran Kannada film actor, who enacted more than 150 roles on screen. Also known as ‘Kala Thapswi’, he was compared with the trio Kumars of Kannada film industry during its golden period – Rajkumar, Udayakumar and Kalyankumar. His powerful performances have been often compared to Sivaji Ganesan, legendary Tamil actor. His daughter Niveditha Arjun alias Asha Rani, Kannada actress of ‘Ratha Sapthami’ fame is married to Arjun Sarja, popular south Indian actor. Thus he is related to Sarja family of actors.

He was a stage actor and government typist before joining films

Rajesh was born in 1935 in Bangalore. He grew up watching movies, and right by childhood he got attracted to them. He joined a local theater group without the knowledge of his parents with the pretext of taking tuition classes. He continued his career as a stage actor for a long time, and also took the job of a typist in government sector. He later wrote and directed a play, ‘Nirudyogi Baalu’ and the work received appreciation. ‘Badavana Baalu’ was his second play. He formed a theatre group, Shakti Nataka Mandali, and staged many plays.

He was given first break to films by actor-director Hunsur Krishnamurthy

He was first spotted by Hunsur Krishnamurthy, who offered him a supporting role in Veera Sankalpa, released in 1964. Krishnamurthy scripted, produced and directed the film, and also played the lead role. Initially playing supporting roles on screen, he slowly moved to lead roles, and he got opportunity to share screen space with several Kannada actors of golden era. As time passed by, he moved to supporting roles.

He continued as a government typist while doing film roles in the 1960s. As an actor, his big break came with Namma Ooru in 1968 directed by C.V. Shivashankar. The song “Hoogadhiri Soohdarare” of the film was also a chartbuster. There was no turning back. He was rechristened from Vidyasagar to Rajesh by its film producers, and offers came pouring in after that. By second half of 1970s he cemented his position in Sandalwood. By 1980s he turned a huge star of Kannada cinema.

He lip-synced to many popular Kannada film songs of yesterdays

Many evergreen Kannada film songs have been filmed on Rajesh. A few of them include – Tari Kere Yeri Mele from Devara Duddu, Indina Hindu Deshada from Kappu Bilupu, Ravi Varmana from Sose Thanda Sowbhagya, Title track of Beluvalada Madilalli, Kanada Devaru from Kappu Bilapu, Hogadhiri Sohadare from Namma Ooru etc. Some of his famous movies in lead and supporting are Namma Ooru, Kappu Bilupu, Devara Duddu, Devara Gudi, Badhu Bangaravaythu, Beluvalada Madilalli, Mugiyadha Kathe, Namma Ooru etc.

Kannada actor Rajesh – Some interesting and less-known facts

1. ‘Sri Rama’ was his first role as a stage actor.

2. He was a typist by profession when he got into films and has worked in many government offices.

3. He went on a leave of 2 weeks of his government job to appear in his debut movie. He got his second movie, ‘Sri Ramanjeneya Yuddha’, while he was shooting for the first movie. From there on he started getting  a string of film roles without any fail.

4. His first major hit Namma Ooru released in 1968 was given tax exemption by state government.

5. When his daughter Niveditha Arjun married actor Arjun Sarja, he got related to Sarja, with three generations associated with Kannada cinema. Arjun is the son of popular screen villain of yesterdays, Shakti Prasad, a contemporary of Rajesh.

6. Actress Aishwarya Arjun is his granddaughter.

7. He is related to Chiranjeevi Sarja, Meghana Raj and Dhruva Sarja – some of the actor members of Sarja family.

8. He is also a good singer, and a writer who wrote many plays.

9. Kumar trio actors of golden era of Sandalwood – Udaykumar, Rajkumar and Kalyan Kumar were all contemporaries with whom he has shared screen space too.

10. He was awarded the Dr. Rajkumar Cultural Endowment Award by the Kannada Sahitya Parishat in 2014. He was conferred the honorary doctorate by the Karnataka University in 2012.