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 (1984-05-28) 28 May 1984 (age 40)
NationalityIndian
Alma materNational College Jayanagar, Bangalore.
OccupationActor
Years active2009–present

Early life

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Saurav 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

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Lokesh 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

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Films

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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

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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

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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

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  1. ^ Refers to the year in which the award ceremony was held.

References

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  1. ^ "Saurav Lokesh Biography". Nettv4u. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  2. ^ "Sourav Lokesh". Chiloka. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Saurav Lokesh Biography". Nettv4u. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Bhajarangi Movie Review". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  5. ^ "Bhajarangi Loki". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Bad Boys on the prowl". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Bhajarangi Loki's respect for transgenders increases after acting in Rathaavara". Filmibeat. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  8. ^ "Loki in a Mangala Mukhi Avatar in Rathaavara". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  9. ^ "Mahakaali Movie Review". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  10. ^ "Jaguar drives Bhajarangi Loki to Telugu". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  11. ^ "Thayige Takka Maga review : a mediocre outing". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  12. ^ "Striker Movie Review". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  13. ^ "'Bhajarangi' Loki to play antagonist in Radhika Kumaraswamy's 'Damayanthi'". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  14. ^ "Antagonistic Avatars". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  15. ^ "Bhajarangi Loki movies". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  16. ^ "Gaanchali Movie Review". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  17. ^ "Ranabhoomi Movie Review". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  18. ^ "Margaret Movie Review". Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  19. ^ "Meet the four towering characters of Bhajarangi 2". Times of India. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  20. ^ "Check the first look of actor Saurav Lokesh's Bhajarangi 2". The Prime Time.
  21. ^ 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.
  22. ^ "Raja Marthanda- Movie | Reviews, Cast & Release Date - BookMyShow".
  23. ^ "Giriraj's next is "Raktha Chandana"". News Karnataka. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  24. ^ "SIIMA 2014 kannada nominations". IBT. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  25. ^ "Best kannada negative role 2018". Filmibeat. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
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