2401:4900:4BB8:9A00:1:0:F92E:3982 at 13:50, 25 July 2021

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{{short description|Indian actor and theatre artist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = H. G. Somashekar Rao
| birth_date = {{Birth based on age at death|86|2020|11|03|df=yes}} 
| birth_place = [[Chitradurga]], [[Kingdom of Mysore]]
| death_date = {{Death date and given age|2020|11|03|86|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Bangalore]], Karnataka
| nationality = Indian
| occupation = Actor and theatre artist
| notable_works = ''[[Mithileya Seetheyaru]]'', ''[[Harakeya Kuri]]''
| relatives = [[H. G. Dattatreya]] <small>(brother)</small>
}}
'''H. G. Somashekar Rao''' ({{Birth based on age as of date|86|2020|11|03|df=yes|noage=1|mos=y}}{{spnd}}3 November 2020) was an Indian [[Kannada]]-language theatre artist and actor. He acted in over 300 plays and 60 films over a career that spanned 50 years. He was a recipient of the [[Karnataka State]] Government's award for his role in ''[[Mithileya Seetheyaru]]'' (1988).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=3 November 2020|title=Senior theatre artiste H G Somashekar Rao dies of cardiac arrest|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/state/senior-theatre-artiste-h-g-somashekar-rao-dies-of-cardiac-arrest-910760.html|access-date=3 November 2020|website=Deccan Herald|language=en|archive-date=3 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201103121123/https://www.deccanherald.com/state/senior-theatre-artiste-h-g-somashekar-rao-dies-of-cardiac-arrest-910760.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Rao was born in [[Chitradurga]], in the erstwhile [[Kingdom of Mysore]] of [[British India]] (now in [[Karnataka]]) to lawyer and [[Freedom fighter (India)|freedom fighter]] Harihar Gundu Rao and Venkamma.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=8 Sep|first=TNN /|last2=2001|last3=Ist|first3=22:42|title=Somanna: The human chameleon {{!}} Bengaluru News|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Somanna-The-human-chameleon/articleshow/615666270.cms|access-date=3 November 2020|website=The Times of India|language=en|archive-date=8 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108024157/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Somanna-The-human-chameleon/articleshow/615666270.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> He had completed his degree in sociology from the [[University of Mysore]] and was a gold medalist. He went on to become an assistant general manager at [[Canara Bank]] while continuing to pursue his acting career.<ref name=":0" /> During this period he also set up the staff training college at the bank.<ref name=":2" />

== Career ==
Rao started his acting career by acting in theatre productions during his posting with Canara Bank in Mysore in the 1960s and 1970s. Subsequently, he continued acting when he relocated to Bangalore in the early 1970s.<ref name=":3" />

He made his acting debut in feature films in the 1975 Kannada film, ''Geejagana Goodu.''<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|author=Staff Reporter|date=3 November 2020|title=Veteran actor Somashekar Rao passes away|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/veteran-actor-somashekar-rao-passes-away/article33016151.ece|access-date=3 November 2020|issn=0971-751X|archive-date=3 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201103181644/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/veteran-actor-somashekar-rao-passes-away/article33016151.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> Over the course of his career spanning 50 years, he acted in notable films including ''Mithileya Seeteyaru'', ''Minchina Oota'', ''Accident'' and ''Harakeya Kuri''.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Veteran actor H G Somashekhara Rao passes away|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/veteran-actor-h-g-somashekhara-rao-passes-away/articleshow/79021122.cms|access-date=3 November 2020|website=The Times of India|language=en|archive-date=3 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201103130651/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/veteran-actor-h-g-somashekhara-rao-passes-away/articleshow/79021122.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> Plays he acted in included ''777 Charlie'', ''Nane Bijjala'', ''Jokumaraswamy'', ''Ashadhabooti'' and ''Kadadida Neeru''.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1" /> His role as a retired school teacher in the 2015 film ''Last Page'' was acclaimed for the sensitivity that he brought to the role, and the film itself went on to win the best film award at the 2015 [[Kolkata International Film Festival]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=a.chatterji|first=shoma|title='Last Page' From A Director With Compassion|url=https://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/NewsDetail/index/9/6150/Last-Page-From-A-Director-With-Compassion|access-date=3 November 2020|website=The Citizen|language=en-US}}</ref> In his career he worked with noted directors including [[T. N. Seetharam]], [[Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar]], [[K. S. L. Swamy]], T. N. Narasimhan, and Kiran Raj.<ref name=":1" /> His co-actors included [[Rajkumar (actor)|Rajkumar]], [[Anant Nag]], [[Vishnuvardhan (actor)|Vishnuvardhan]], [[Geetha (actress)|Geetha]], [[Ramesh Aravind]] and [[Prakash Raj]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Harakeya Kuri (1992) Kannada movie: Cast & Crew|url=https://chiloka.com/movie/harakeya-kuri-1992|access-date=3 November 2020|website=chiloka.com|archive-date=2 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502150616/https://chiloka.com/movie/harakeya-kuri-1992|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Kamana Billu (1983) Kannada movie: Cast & Crew|url=https://chiloka.com/movie/kamana-billu-1983|access-date=3 November 2020|website=chiloka.com|archive-date=7 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807154859/https://chiloka.com/movie/kamana-billu-1983|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Hoomale (1998) Kannada movie: Cast & Crew|url=https://chiloka.com/movie/hoomale-1998|access-date=3 November 2020|website=chiloka.com|archive-date=22 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822051102/https://chiloka.com/movie/hoomale-1998|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=27 Mavalli Circle (1986) Kannada movie: Cast & Crew|url=https://chiloka.com/movie/27-mavalli-circle-1986|access-date=3 November 2020|website=chiloka.com|archive-date=11 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811092946/https://chiloka.com/movie/27-mavalli-circle-1986|url-status=live}}</ref>

He was the principal of the Bangalore-based acting institute ''Abinaya Taranga'' between 2001 and 2003, and later went on to be its chairman.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Past principals – Abhinayataranga|url=http://abhinayataranga.com/past-principals/|access-date=3 November 2020|language=en|archive-date=27 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227120542/http://abhinayataranga.com/past-principals/|url-status=live}}</ref> He was also a writer of over 25 books, including two novels, and an autobiography that remained unfinished at the time of his death.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" />

== Personal life ==
Rao was married and had two sons.<ref name=":0" /> His brother is the noted Kannada actor [[Dattanna]].<ref name=":1" /> Rao died on 3 November 2020 of a cardiac arrest in Bangalore at the age of 86.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=3 November 2020|title=Noted theatre actor Somashekar Rao dies at 86|url=http://www.uniindia.com/noted-theatre-actor-somashekar-rao-dies/south/news/2222721.html|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=3 November 2020|website=United News India (UNI)}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{{Inc-film}}
Films of Rao as an actor include:<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=H G Somashekhar Rao : Kannada Actor, Movies|url=https://chiloka.com/celebrity/h-g-somashekhar-rao|access-date=3 November 2020|website=chiloka.com|archive-date=10 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810144510/http://chiloka.com/celebrity/h-g-somashekhar-rao|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{div col}}
* Last Page (2015)
* Kurmavathara (2013)
* Pravaha (2004)
* [[Hoomale]] (1998)
* Minugu Thare (1996)
* [[Harakeya Kuri]] (1992)
* Prajegalu Prabhugalu (1992)
* Ajagajantara (1991)
* Abhimana (1989)
* Mane (1989)
* Sura Sundaranga (1989)
* [[Mithileya Seetheyaru]] (1988)
* Ravana Rajya (1987)
* [[27 Mavalli Circle]] (1986)
* Vajra Mushti (1985)
* Accident (Kannada) (1984)
* [[Kaamana Billu]] (1983)
* Savitri (1980)
* Geejagana Goodu (1975)
{{div col end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian theatre people]]
[[Category:1930s births]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing]]
[[Category:People from Chitradurga]]

H. G. Somashekar Rao - Revision history

2401:4900:4BB8:9A00:1:0:F92E:3982 at 13:50, 25 July 2021